Fated Meetings
by Serry2
Summary: NarutoGaaraHaku have become a three genin cell. How does this change the journey to Waves? Powerful Naruto and a HakuOC. Sequel2Domino Effect. Warning Ch10 Yaoi ZabuzaOC Rated M
1. Third Time's The Charm

Disclaimer? I don't need no stinkin' disclaimer!

Hey everybody, I'm back! Bad news...

My MicrosoftWord trial membership ran out so I'm using WordPad, which has no spell check. Sorry in advance for any mistakes.

This is the sequel to Domino Effect. Please read that first if you haven't yet.

Fated Meetings: Third Time's The Charm

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Naruto crouched in the branches of a tall oak tree as he calmly waited for the signal. Every year Sasame gave them his own version of the genin exam and refused to let them take the Academy's version until they could pass his. So far they had failed twice and if they failed this time then they would miss graduating with their official class. Naruto clutched his kunai nervously. Not passing a Sasame's exam would take them straight from the top three, a position that he loved to rub in Uchiha-teme's face, to the class dobes. He couldn't let that happen! Each year Sasame would take them to a different part of fire country and give them a mock mission: steal a scroll from him without getting caught and return it to the Hokage.

The first time they had taken the test they had gotten caught and had engaged Sasame in battle. Defeat had come when Naruto had used his Fire Cage Jutsu, a series of crisscrossing fire columns that trapped the opponent in an dome that could not be broken by a simple Suiton Jutsu, at the same time that Haku had tried to use his Makyo Hyosho. The resulting effect was a spectacular explosion which had distracted the two enough to get captured. Gaara was caught moments later when he had attempted to rescue the two and walked straight into a Genjutsu. He was not amused when Sasame released him and calmly informed him that he had been attacking a boulder.

The next year the trio had actually been able to capture the scroll but had been attacked by Kakashi-san just steps from the main gate of Konohagakure. The trio had focused their defense around Haku, who was holding the scroll, but Kakashi had instead captured Naruto and demanded the scroll for Naruto's life. Haku had no choice but to hand over the scroll and accept their failure. Naruto had contested Kakashi's involvement but Sasame had pointed out that most ninja worked in teams and that they should be wary whenever they saw only one opponent. Sasame had given him a comforting pat on the back and told him he'd get it next time.

A crow cawed in the distance and Naruto got ready. That was Gaara's signal that he had spotted Sasame with his Daisan no Me. A glint of light later showed that Haku had been successful in using his god-like speed to retrieve the scroll. The lack of commotion also showed that Naruto's genjutsu had been successful in drawing Sasame's attention away from the scroll long enough for Haku to switch it with a fake. Naruto raced to the meeting point and took up middle guard with Gaara on point and Haku in rear guard. Each boy carried a scroll so that if they were attacked there would be a two out of three chance that the attacker would target the wrong one. The real scroll was quickly tucked away in Gaara's sand gourd, where Shinigami himself would not be able to reach it without taking Gaara's life first. They raced back to Konoha, stopping every now and then to allow Gaara to scout the area. Twice, Sasame almost caught up with them but the boys set traps that ended up delaying him long enough for them to pull ahead again. Finally, the boys spotted the Hokage Monument in the distance late that evening. They moved to the highest branches and sped up to avoid any help that Sasame may have set up.

Gaara stopped suddenly and motioned for them to hide. They quickly concealed themselves in the leaves and waited. Moments later two figures stopped near them, both locked in battle. Iruka-sensei was attacking Mizuki-sensei, who had a large scroll on his back. Iruka-sensei was quickly overwhelmed and was knocked out. Gaara, meanwhile, had eased the cork out of his gourd and silently sent his sand out. One minute Mizuki was gloating over Iruka-sensei and the next he was trapped in Gaara's Sabakuro. The scroll had been liberated by Haku's senbons and had been caught by Naruto in that time. Haku went to check over Iruka-sensei while Naruto opened and read the scroll.

"What is it?" asked Gaara curiously.

"I think its one of oyaji's kinjutsu scrolls," answered Naruto. "This Kagebushin no Jutsu looks pretty cool."

"Naruto!" cried Haku in shock.

"Sorry, sorry. Anyways, let's get this traitor back to the village."

"Poor Iruka-sensei," remarked Haku as he picked him up. "He has such bad luck with co-workers."

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Sandaime puffed his pipe thoughtfully as he regarded the three boys before him. On his desk were two scrolls: the stolen kinjutsu scroll and their exam scroll. Sasame stood to the side of the room waiting for the verdict for his sons/students with a proud look. Sandaime finally removed his pipe and spoke. "Congratulations on passing Sasame's test boys. I've decided to automatically make you Genin so you won't have to take the test tomorrow. Just make sure that you show up to the team assignments so that you can meet your sensei. As for tonight, your capture of Mizuki will be marked as a B-Rank mission, since that is the rank that I would have needed to assign the Oinins. Your pay will be automatically credited to the accounts that Sasame has set up for you. Take some time off tomorrow and enjoy the money. I'm very proud of you boys," he finished with a grin. The boys mock saluted and accepted their hitai-ate from the Hokage. "So where will you boys go to celebrate?" Sasame jumped.

"I know," he cut in desperately. "Let's go to the hot springs!"

"Yeah!" cried the boys excitedly. Sasame sighed in relief and sent up a silent apology to Ichiraku-san. He ushered the boys out of the office and left the Hokage alone. Moments later a figure appeared in the room.

"So those will be my subordinates?" asked the Jonin casually.

"Yes, that's them," answered Sandaime. "I have no doubt that they will rise through the ranks quickly. They are already very strong. Please teach them well." The Jonin gave a sadistic smirk.

"Don't worry. If they survive me then they'll survive anything. Just trust me." The Jonin poofed away and Sandaime shivered slightly. He hoped he had made the right decision.

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The hyper trio was running through the streets of Konoha on their way to the Academy. Although they were already a team, they still had to meet their Jonin-sensei and the bell would be ringing any minute. The three had overslept because Gaara, who was not a morning person, had used his sand to kill the alarm clock and had gone back to sleep. Sasame had finally had to resort to using a bullhorn to get them out of bed but by then they were already significantly behind. Finally reaching the Academy, they scaled the walls of the building and dove through the open window into Iruka-sensei's classroom. "Safe," announced Naruto. The rest of the class sweat dropped at their appearance.

"What are you dobes doing here?" drawled Sasuke finally. "This meeting is for graduates only." Naruto grinned and pointed to his hitai-ate.

"And what do you call this Uchiha-teme?" Sasuke blinked.

"But you didn't even take the exam," Sakura protested.

"There were extenuating circumstances," explained a smirking Gaara. "We graduated a day early and have already completed our first B-Rank mission." The class was completely silent as they gaped at him. Haku grinned and winked at his brothers. He walked to Sasuke.

"Don't worry Sasuke, we'll still train with you. You're bound to learn something from us." Sasuke sputtered and Haku formed the ram seal. A quick transformation technique later he had slightly longer hair and generous female curves, which were just barely covered with a draping, pink kimono. "You'd like that wouldn't you Sasuke-kun?" she asked in a seductive voice. She lifted a delicate hand and placed a slim finger under his hanging jaw, snapping his mouth shut. Sasuke quickly turned a bright shade of red and Haku changed back satisfied. "Pay up," he ordered his brothers. They groaned and reached for their moneybags.

"Damn," muttered Gaara. "And here I was sure that he was gay." He and Naruto handed their losses over to a smirking Haku. Sasuke quickly went from embarrassment to anger and prepared himself to attack them but Iruka entered the room before he could.

"Okay everyone, take your seats," he ordered briskly. Sasuke took his seat grumbling while the rest of the class watched the trio take their seats in awe.

"So who do you think our sensei will be?" asked Haku once Iruka began assigning teams. "I hope that it's Genma-san." Gaara smirked.

"You would," he teased. "If he is, just promise that you won't start holding senbons in your mouth like he does."

"I hope that we get Kakashi-san," whispered Naruto excitedly.

"Fat chance," said Gaara. "Uchiha-teme graduated. Kakashi-san is the only one who can train his sharingan, if the baka ever actually manages to activate it, so he'll most likely get saddled with Uchiha-teme."

"Hey you three, pay attention!" yelled Iruka at them. The boys groaned and turned their attention to the front as Iruka-sensei continued. "Team Seven: Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura. Since we are short a graduate you will only have a two man team. Hokage-sama will assign a third member once the coming chunin exam creates openings in the old genin teams." Sasuke frowned at the thought of being paired with a failure. Sakura, however, was practically dancing at the thought of having Sasuke to herself for a while. Iruka sighed and continued. "Team Eight: Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba, and Hyuga Hinata. Team Nine is still an active genin cell and so it won't be reissued today." Iruka and the trio shuddered at the reminder of Team Nine's, or rather Team Gai's, instructor. "Team Ten: Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Yamanaka Ino." Ino groaned at this while Shikamaru muttered his usual 'troublesome' complaint. "Team Eleven: Sabaku no Gaara, Haku, and Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka set the list down and smiled to his students. "Minna, it has been a pleasure being your sensei. Your Jonin-sensei's will be here momentarily to assist you on your path as genins. I ask you to work hard for them and make this Academy proud." Suddenly, a cylinder crashed though the window and landed right in front of Iruka-sensei, causing him to yelp and dive behind his desk. The cylinder suddenly exploded, releasing a small fireworks display. The class watched in shock as a woman in fishnets appeared in front of the fireworks just as they began tapering off.

"Team Eleven," she called out loudly. "I'll be your Jonin-sensei. Follow me!"

"Was that really necessary," groused Iruka as he stood to look at the intruder. He froze as he saw the woman look back at him sheepishly.

"Gomen," she replied with a grin. "Anyways, team eleven needs to meet me on the roof in thirty seconds." With that she poofed away.

"Great," cried Naruto as he jumped for the window. "We had to get the crazy one!"

"What are you talking about?" laughed Gaara as he followed. "She's just like you."

"What!" came Naruto's voice from outside? Haku sighed and disappeared with a well-placed teleportation jutsu. The class starred at the disappearing wisps of smoke left behind and thanked Kami that the crazy kunoichi wasn't their sensei.

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The trio stood in front of their sensei as she regarded them sternly. "Twenty-three seconds?" she bit. "And only one of you thought to use the teleportation jutsu even though I used it right in front of you! I expect much better from my subordinates. Next time it better be ten seconds. Do you here me?" The boys nodded nervously. "Well, I guess we should get the pleasantries out of the way then," she said, switching back to her crazy grin in less than a second. She motioned them to sit. "My name is Mitarashi Anko, Tokubetsu Jonin. This is the first time that Hokage-sama has asked me to lead a genin team. He said something about wanting them to live beyond the first week. I like dango and I hate traitors and deserters. Okay, now you guys." Haku and Naruto were still in shock so Gaara started.

"My name is Sabaku no Gaara. I specialize in sand attacks and information gathering. I can summon tanuki and ravens. I like my family and I hate the Kazekage." Haku took his cue.

"My name is Haku. I specialize in ice and speed attacks, as well as defense and medical techniques. I can summon dolphins and ninken. I like my family and senbons. I hate close-minded people." Naruto brought up the rear.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I specialize in Fire and Power Jutsus, as well as distractions. I can summon kitsunes and frogs. I like ramen and my family and I hate Uchiha-teme."

"Good," said Anko with a smile. "The brains, the defense, and the brawn. I can work with this. Or at least ensure an explosive end." The boys blanched. "Okay, meet me by the Hokage Tower tomorrow at nine. We'll be running our first training exercise. Ja ne." The boys watched her disappear and tried to repress the whimpers that were rising in them. A poof of smoke appeared and the boys jumped, thinking that the crazy lady had returned.

Sarutobi Asuma regarded the trio in front of him and smiled comfortingly. " I take it you just met Anko-san?" The boys nodded sadly. "Good luck," said Asuma gently. Then much quieter: "You're going to need it." The boys groaned and left to make room for team ten on the roof.

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Okay, first chapter is here. Don't get used to the length because that's probably not happening again. Chapters won't be tiny but if I want to do one a week they won't be this long either. I'm gunning for an eight chapter story for the wave arc with updates every week or so. Please point out if I'm making any mistakes. I got 2131 hits and 42 reviews for Domino Effect so I'm hoping that this fic will get even more. Please Review!


	2. Boot Camp From Hell

I fervently deny all claims that I have declared any ownership to Naruto. This is a malicious lie spread by my competitors.

Hey all! I'm back and ready to write. Sorry that I've been gone for so long. I made the chapter a long one to make up for it and I did learn my lesson: No more cop-out chapters. I've been having the month from Hades, though my dentist was nice enough to schedule my surgery a month early. Just a word of wisdom for you guys: If you have dental surgery and your dentist gives you the choice between a Tylenol #3 and a Perceset TAKE THE PERCESET! At least I got a lot of sleep, even if it was a 'oh, look at the pink bunnies' type of sleep. Anywho... Just in case anyone hasn't noticed, I will occasionally be adding references to movies, books, ECT. See if you can find them (a.k.a. I'm too lazy, or I forget, to point them out so this is a blanket solution).

Fated Meetings: Boot Camp From Hell

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Team Eleven went to Hokage Tower the next morning only to be redirected to a far off training ground. The chunin in the missions office had sympathetically informed them that Anko-sensei expected them at training ground 51 in no more than five minutes and that the best ANBU couldn't make that distance in that time. Naruto, who was afraid of what she might do if they failed, quickly summoned a fox about the size of Sasame's truck and rode it along with his brothers to the site. Even then, they made it with only seconds to spare. Anko smirked as they dismounted.

"Very good brats. You live after all. Just how many villagers did you freak out with that little move?"

"None," answered Naruto defensively. "Well, none of the civilians at any rate. I made sure that we moved unseen but there is no way the higher rank nins wouldn't notice a summons that big in the village. And even if they did, we were moving too fast for them to be able to do anything about it."

"Excellent," laughed Anko. "Okay, for today's exercise we will be using Area 51 to work with. This will also be our meeting point unless otherwise stated. The grounds here have a five-mile diameter and are mostly forest terrain with little to no wild life. These grounds are also known as the sister site to the Forest of Death. At the center of the grounds is an altar that has a wooden box on it. Your mission is to get the box and bring it back to me without damaging it. If I find so much as a scratch on it I'll ship you three back to the Academy faster then you can say, "you fail". Got that?" The boys nodded nervously and jumped over the fence and into Area 51. The moment their feet touched the ground a trap was sprung, which forced them to dive to the side as a boulder was hurled to the spot where they had been standing. "Did I forget to mention that the whole area is booby-trapped with enough weapons to make a Jonin wet himself." Anko grinned sadistically. "Welcome to Boot Camp from Hell."

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"And Hell it is," muttered Naruto as he extracted a kunai from his thigh. With a quick concentration of red chakra, he healed the wound and discarded the kunai. At first he had kept the weapons sprung from the traps but he soon discovered that there were far to many to keep that up. Team Eleven had also found that weapons were the least of their problems. After three hours of spike pits, falling boulders, and hidden quicksand pits they had learned not to take anything at face value. Gaara and Haku were both using their abilities to keep a shield over their vitals an Naruto was simply allowing the hits and then healing them. None of them could keep it up for much longer, though. If the traps didn't get them then the chakra depletion would. Naruto surveyed the branches ahead of them and nodded to Gaara. Gaara nodded back and sent a sand clone ahead to check for any traps. Moments later it was destroyed by a rain of senbon and the trio jumped onto the branch, carefully avoiding the lodged in needles.

"There it is," said Haku in relief as he spotted the altar in the open clearing ahead. Sure enough, on top of the stone alter was a wooden box about the size of a toolbox. Another of Gaara's sand clones proved that it was safe to walk into the clearing and up to the box. The three jumped down to the ground and approached the altar cautiously. "Is it just me," asked Haku, "or is this too easy?" The others nodded nervously.

"We don't have a choice," responded Gaara. "Let's grab the thing and go." Naruto nodded and reached out to take the box.

"Wait!" cried Haku suddenly. "Anko-sensei said not to damage the box, which means that there's at least one more trap here. I bet the box is sitting on the trigger. " Gaara nodded and formed a stone out of the sand. Naruto slid the box off the altar at the same time that Gaara slid the stone into its place. The boys looked proudly at their prize for a moment before a gentle click registered in their ears. The boys looked back to the altar to see Gaara's stone sinking into the altar. "Damn," cried Haku. "It was pressure sensitive both ways. The rock was too heavy!" The trio leapt into a back-to-back, defensive formation and waited for the results of the trap. Moments later a shift in the grass appeared and the boys watched on horror as more than thirty puppets leapt up from the ground. Naruto eyed the closest and noticed a liquid dripping along the kunai in its mouth. A drop hit the ground and the grass under it immediately died.

"The weapons are poison tipped," he announced worriedly.

"Any ideas?" asked Haku.

"One," said Naruto with a smirk. He passed the box to Gaara and formed what would become his signature seal. "Kagebushin no Jutsu!" More than fifty Narutos flooded the clearing immediatley.

"Naruto!" cried Haku. "You read that Kinjutsu scroll!"

"I didn't know it was kinjutsu then and I only read the first one!" said Naruto defensively.

"Hey, I'm not complaining," said Gaara. Naruto smirked and sent his clones to attack.

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Anko watched, as her bedraggled team emerged from the forest with their prize intact. "Very good," she praised. "And it only took you five hours to complete the mission. Next time I want it done in three." The boys groaned and walked over to her. Naruto handed the box over and fidgeted nervously. "So what's in the box Anko-sensei? Money? Jewels? A cool Jutsu scroll?" Anko grinned and held the box reverently.

"Something even more precious than that boys," she said playfully. She moved to open the box and the boys leaned in eagerly. "Its...Dango!" The boys looked at the box, which was actually a bento filled with dango. All three face-planted into the ground. "Man," said Anko with a dango in her mouth, "Its a good thing that I had a big breakfast this morning. I thought you guys would never get my lunch here. By the way where are your lunches?" She walked away and left the boys twitching on the ground behind her.

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(Two weeks later)

A completely soot covered Naruto stormed into the Hokage's office. A singed Gaara and bedraggled, clothes-shredded Haku followed at a more sedated pace. "Oyaji!" screamed Naruto. "Why the hell did you stick us with this psycho?" Sandaime lifted his head from where he had been napping on his desk and blinked up at Naruto. Naruto, however, didn't even pause before he began pacing and ranting. "She's got us balancing on steel spikes. She's making us run laps around Konoha while she throws poison senbons at us. She has us sparring on the rock formations in the middle of the detention facility volcano! And don't even get me started on the missions. No, scratch that, I'll start up anyway. She made us look for a lost catch of explosive tags in the Forest of Death, which is why Gaara is fried. She made us round up all of the dangerous animals that we could find and release them into the forest of Death. A tiger nearly turned Haku into a scratching post! She even made us clean out all of the chimneys in the center tower of the Forest of Death using me as a chimney brush!" Sarutobi fought to hold back a grin.

"Those are all of the tasks that I gave her to prepare for the coming chunin exams. She must be using D-Rank missions to make you guys do them instead."

"What!" screamed the trio? The cork popped out of Gaara's gourd and sand began pouring out harshly. "Naruto's right," he exclaimed. "Why are we with this psycho?" The Hokage cleared his throat nervously.

"Well, you see, when Kyuubi demanded that Naruto be trained to deal with Orochimaru I automatically assigned Anko-san to you. As she was his only student, she is the one best suited to prepare you for him. We had Sasame make his exams to be sure that you three would be able to survive her once you were assigned to her." Naruto immediately deflated his anger.

"I see. You guys, I made Kyuubi a promise that I would fight Orochimaru but you guys didn't. I understand if you guys want to be reassigned." A chibi sand Gaara formed in front of him and flicked Naruto on the forehead before retreating back into the gourd.

"Baka," said Gaara. "We may not have promised Kyuubi that we'd fight but we made our own promises to you. Anko-sensei isn't about to scare us away." Haku nodded his agreement.

"Besides, if we keep doing these missions then we'll have a big advantage in the chunin exams. I guess that there is a method to her madness. Just think of how mad Sasuke-teme will be when we beat him through the forest. That is, if he is even nominated for the exam." Naruto brightened.

"Thanks guys. Come on, let's go get cleaned up." Team Eleven walked out of the office and headed in the direction of Sasame's Clothing Shop. Sarutobi shock his head as he watched the boys leave. They were already proving to be an incredibly strong and loyal team. He had no doubt that they would pass the coming exam with flying colors. Sarutobi looked down to the mission request that he had been napping on. Maybe the trio was ready for a C-Rank mission. He smiled and called for his chunin secretary. The man poofed in seconds later.

"Send word to Tazuna-san that his request has been approved," ordered Sandaime. "He can meet his guards at the main gate tomorrow at noon." The guard nodded and poofed away. "Now where was I?" muttered Sarutobi. He lied his head down again and promptly fell asleep.

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The next day, Team Eleven reported to the Missions office for their usual mission. Today it was Iruka-sensei handing out the assignments and the boys followed his motion to join the queue of teams waiting for assignment, while Anko-sensei veered off to speak to one of the other chunins assisting Iruka. The man seemed to be sweating profusely, while Anko-sensei gave him a malicious grin. Iruka just sighed and continued his job. Iruka-sensei often worked in the missions office during vacations so they were not surprised to see him, although they suspected that he was the reason why Sasame-tou-san had made sure to have them pack an out-of-village mission pack. Their packs were, consequently, ten pounds heavier then normal but, since Sasame-tou-san had also made them leave their training weights behind, the pack's weight didn't even register. The queue slowly shrank and soon it was their turn to receive their mission. The boys saw that there were two scrolls left, which meant that one team had still not shown up. Moments later that was explained by the arrival of Team Seven and their chronically late sensei, Hatake Kakashi. Uchiha Sasuke sniffed at Team Eleven and made his way to the desk, completely disregarding the fact that it was not his turn to do so. He smirked at the site of the two scrolls, on a D-Rank and the other a C-Rank, and reached out to take the C-Rank from the desk. Iruka intercepted him with an annoyed look and shoved the D-Rank scroll into his outstretched hand.

"Team Seven, your mission will be to retrieve the cat of the Fire Lord's wife. It's run away again and should be in the northern part of Konoha Forrest by now."

"What?" screamed Sasuke? "We've already retrieved that damn cat twelve times!" Iruka frowned.

"The better missions were given out to those teams that reported earlier. If you do not wish to pull this mission all of the time then it would behoove you to actually show up on time. Now step aside. Team Eleven; you will be traveling to the land of waves with a bridge builder by the name of Tazuna. You are to escort him there and stay on as bodyguards until the bridge he is building is completed. Approximate length of the mission is about three weeks and all specifics have been included in the scroll." Gaara accepted the scroll and ushered his team out before they completely broke down into laughter. As they left they could hear Sasuke-teme chewing out Kakashi-san for his constant tardiness. Anko joined them, grinning at Kakashi's predicament, and ordered them to join her at the main gate in thirty minutes to meet their client.

"Come on guys," said Haku with a chuckle. "Let's go say goodbye to Sasame-tou-san."

"Naruto-kun," came a timid voice from behind them. Naruto turned to find Hinata behind them with a broom in hand. Naruto motioned the others to go ahead and smiled to Hinata.

"I see your team got saddled with cleaning Hokage Tower. Sorry about that." Hinata blushed and looked down nervously.

"Ano... I heard that your team is going to wave country for three weeks," she practically whispered. Naruto grinned happily.

"That's right, our first C-Rank mission." Hinata fiddled with the broom nervously before gaining some determination. She pulled a small jar out of her jacket pocket.

"This is a healing cream that I made. Please take it with you, just in case." Naruto accepted the small jar with a smile.

"Thank you Hinata. You're really talented. Are you going to be a medic-nin? I'm sure you'll make a great one." Hinata blushed again and stammered a thank you. Naruto smiled and pocketed the jar. "Well, I had better catch up with the others now," he said as he turned to leave.

"Naruto-kun," said Hinata quickly. He began to turn back only to feel her kiss him on the cheek and back up the speed of a ninja and the face of a tomato. "Good luck," she said quickly and disappeared before he had even finished turning around. Naruto blinked in confusion before his brain caught up with him. His hand drifted up to the cheek she had kissed and he allowed a stupid grin to slid on his face. Naruto blinked again as he realized what he was doing and quickly left before Team Seven exited and caught him sanding there. Moments after he left, a shadow detached from a nearby column and Hatake Kakashi stepped into the light.

"Well that was certainly interesting," he murmured with a curve of his visible eye, which signaled that he was smiling. "I bet Sasame-san would have loved to have seen this little scene. I guess he'll just have to make do with the pictures." Kakashi looked down to his camera-watch and resolved to visit the developer while his team completed their mission.

"Make sure to get copies," came a voice from the ceiling. Kakashi looked up to where Iruka was hiding. "I'm sure Hokage-sama would like a copy. I know I do." He allowed himself to drop down next to the Jonin. Kakashi chuckled and gave a small nod.

"Don't worry," he said. "I plan to make quite a few copies. Who knows what I can do with this kind of blackmail material." Iruka gave him a small smack on the back of the head and moved on to continue preparations for the coming chunin exam.

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Team Eleven reported to the main gate exactly thirty minutes later and presented themselves to Anko-sensei. "Alright brats," she said. "This is your first mission outside of Konoha so I expect you to keep up your guard and behave exactly as you are expected to as a shinobi of Konoha. Mess this up and you can kiss any more C-Rank missions goodbye. Got that?" The boys nodded seriously. Naruto looked around.

"Where is our client, Anko-sensei?"

"Right here," cut in a voice from behind them. The boys turned to find an old man with a sake bottle in his hand. "My name is Tazuna, the bridge builder. Don't tell me they stuck me with you brats. You all don't look like you could fight your way out of a wet paper bag, especially the blond over there."

"What?" screamed Naruto angrily? Anko bonked him on the head and Naruto quickly quieted.

"I can assure you that my team is more then qualified for a few possible bandits," she replied darkly, "so you can either accept our service or walk your own ass back to Waves." Tazuna sniffed and drained the sake bottle with a slightly shaking hand.

"I guess you brats will have to do." He turned and walked out the main gates. Team Eleven followed, glaring kunais at his back.

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Alright, we're out of Konoha! Now the real fun starts. Let me know what you thought. Tell me if I'm being too mean to Sasuke 'cause I actually like him, even thought he doesn't fit in with my plans right now. I was so happy with the amount of reviews that I got for the first chapter. I hope you guys will give me more. Remember, flames are welcome, so long as they are constructive and I swear I will try to get the next chapter out on time. I actually have a few scenes from upcoming chapters already written and I think that you'll like them. There will be a little more Naruto/Hinata at the end of the story but for the most part I am going to concentrate on Haku/OC for this story. That's all folks.

Review


	3. Disappearing Act

No own. No sue.

Hey all! I like to write when I'm royally pissed off so you guys don't have to worry about waiting too long for this chapter. That's right, glorify in my fury. By the way, do you guys realize how weird it feels to put the sensei on Anko's name? It's almost like an oxy-moron :). For any Gravitation lovers: I'm currently working on a one-shot where Shuichi has to return to school for a semester if he wants to go on tour with Bad Luck. It'll probably be two or three weeks, though. I'm going to be mainly concentrating on this. Look forward to it.

Okay, I'm not mad anymore. I just got a look at fifteen year-old Sasuke. Mmmmmm... I'm in love all over again.

Fated Meetings: Disappearing Act

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The sun was still high in the sky when the first sign of danger came. The unmistakable call of Gaara's raven scout had reached them, signaling that there was a trap in place, and left the boys on high alert long before they reached the site that their would-be attackers had chosen. From Tazuna's perspective, they were about to pass a water puddle on a simple dirt road. Team Eleven, however, saw a poorly hidden genjutsu that was disguising one or tow enemies as a puddle on a hot and clear day. Gaara rolled his eyes at the obviousness of the trap but did not otherwise comment. His short signal was enough for his two brothers: Let them think they had the upper hand for now. The group passed the trap in a bored fashion and when the last person, Anko-sensei, had passed then enemy decided to make its appearance.

Two Nins rose up out of the puddle and quickly cut the female Jonin to pieces with their chains. They turned to take on the Genins next only to find that their target and their opposition had disappeared. The two enemy Nins looked around suspiciously only to find that they were in fact quite alone on the road. Moments later their world irrupted into pain as two arrows flew through the air and ran straight through their armored chests, the flames on the end of the arrows cauterizing the wound as they passed through. The water that had been used to form their cover rose up as well and turned to ice, fixing their feet to the ground below them. The two nins fell into an ungraceful heap and watched in agony as the team they attacked exited the forest around them accompanied by their client and the very women they had ripped apart mere moments ago. In all, it was the fastest and most bitter defeat that the two had ever tasted.

"What have we here," mused Anko-sensei as she surveyed the prisoners. "The Demon Brothers if I'm not mistaken. So what brings you to or little party," she continued as she drew a wicked looking dagger from her sleeve. Team Eleven gulped when they saw it and subconsciously took a step back. Anko-sensei had show that dagger to them once before and had gleefully informed them that it was a dagger made especially for interrogation. The serrated edges created terribly painful and uneven wound and once the special trigger on the handle the dagger would split into a fan-like arrangement that would pry the wound open even further, crudely and painfully tearing at muscle and sinew until it was retracted. The Demon Brothers seemed to recognize the dagger as well for they immediately paled and fainted dead away. Anko-sensei frowned and put the dagger away. "I never get to have any fun," she groused before ordering her team to tie them to a nearby tree. "I guess I'll just have to let Ibiki-san have all the fun this time." The trio shuddered and turned to their client silently. Tazuna paled and took a step back only to find that his way was now blocked by Anko-sensei. "Alright," she ordered coldly, "I know you're aware of why they're after you. Talk old man or we scrap this mission here and now." Tazuna sighed and began to explain to them about Gatou and his hopes for the bridge that was currently under construction in Nami no Kuni. When he was done Anko-sensei was boiling rage. "This is unacceptable!" she declared. "This should be an A-Rank mission, not a C-Rank. The pay was not enough to clear this scope of the mission." Team Eleven sweat-dropped at the realization that she was more concerned with money then the lives of her Genin team. Anko-sensei growled and nodded to herself. "Very well," she declared. "We will proceed with this mission but you will consider the amount you paid us a down payment. Negotiators will contact you after the completion of this mission and you will pay the bill in full for your deception." Tazuna nodded gratefully.

"Arigatou," he replied. "I know that this bridge will save our country and our economy. We'll meet whatever price you ask."

"You just better hope that this bride of yours delivers," she proclaimed. "Now come on. We'll never get there by just standing here."

"What about the nukenins," asked Naruto?

"An ANBU team is scheduled to be coming this way soon. We'll just leave them for the team to find. If the animals get to them first then its no big loss." Team Eleven nodded and reformed their procession to continue on.

Miles away, in a lavish tree house, a short man turned in disgust to the nukenin sitting uncaringly on the small sofa. "So it seems that the Demon Brothers failed. What the hell am I paying you rejects for!" His next comments were cut off as the Nin glared up at him. He stood from the chair and towered over the small man.

"Don't worry about that broken down old man," he ordered coldly and lifted his weapon from where it had been resting against the couch. "I will deal with him personally." The short man growled softly.

"You just see that you do, Zabuza, or the hunters from the mist will be the least of your worries." He stormed out, letting the door slam shut behind him.

"Do you really believe that these Nins are enough of a threat to merit your involvement Zabuza-sama?" came a voice from by the window. He turned to find his subordinate perched worriedly on the windowsill. He smiled sinisterly from behind his mask.

"This team intrigues me," he said. "The Demon Brothers are not the strongest, nor brightest, nukenins around but they should have been an ample match against a bunch of soft Konoha Nins. I'd like to test my blade against them. Besides, we could use the money that this mission will bring. Get ready, we will leave in one hour."

"Hai, Zabuza-sama," his subordinate said with a bow and promptly disappeared from the windowsill. Zabuza scanned the room and allowed for a small look of pride to show in his eyes.

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The boat glided noiselessly through the calm waters of Nami no Kuni. The boatman who was providing the ride looked to his two occupants, Anko-sensei and Tazuna, nervously before turning to regard the Genin team that was literally walking on water as they took guard positions around them. The team seemed to be only kids but the boatman was pretty sure that he would not want to go up against them. He set his concentration back to rowing the boat and maneuvered it closer to their destination. The fog soon parted slightly and a massive bridge appeared out of the mist. "There she is," murmured Tazuna proudly. "This bridge will become the life-blood of our country. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Gatou!"

"Tazuna, keep it quiet," hissed the boatman. "You're going to get us caught if you keep that up." Tazuna sniffed and quieted down again. The Nins only gazed at the bridge briefly before returning to their vigil. The bank soon came into sight and the boatman drew the craft up to land. "This is as far as I dare go," he said quietly. "Good luck Tazuna-san." He pushed off and disappeared back into the mist without a backward glance. Tazuna readjusted his pack and began walking again.

"My home is this way. We should reach it soon and my daughter will be providing dinner once we arrive." They walked along for another twenty minutes and Naruto was beginning to get the strange feeling that they where being watched. He glanced at Gaara subtly but the redhead didn't seem to be sensing anything. His face was indifferent and he looked neither left nor right along the road. Naruto turned to Haku but the by was reviewing the plants that they passed on their journey, no doubt cataloging the medicinal plants that he could harvest and use in the future. Naruto returned his attention to the road but that feeling that he was being watched began bothering him again. Finally unable to stand it, he grabbed a kunai and flung it at the bush he was getting the feeling from. His brothers jumped but Naruto was already following the path of the kunai. He pushed past the bush and reached down only to discover a fluffy, whit bunny going into shock just below his tree-embedded kunai.

"What!" cried Naruto in horror? "I could have sworn that someone was watching use from here. I'm so sorry Mr. Bunny!" He continued ranting, his embarrassment not allowing his thoughts to catch up with him.

"Why would a white rabbit be here at this time of year," mused Haku?

"Everybody down!" cried Gaara as he pulled Tazuna to the ground. The others followed and a large sword flew over them and embedded itself into a nearby tree."

"What the hell!" cried Naruto as he let the bunny go and drew another kunai. The Konoha Nins turned back to the sword only to see a man standing proudly on the handle. The man wore no shirt and a white mask covered his mouth. The hitai-ate of the mist was tied casually across the side of his head and he was radiating a low level killing intent, which the Konoha nins were sure would be much greater in battle. The Nin gave a sinister chuckle and hopped off the sword casually. Anko-sensei growled and placed herself in front of her team, giving them strict instructions to guard Tazuna.

"Momochi Zabuza, Kirigakure no Kijin, if I'm not mistaken. I assume that you were the brains behind the Demon Brothers?" Zabuza nodded and began walking forward slowly.

"You took care of those idiots with no problems but you'll find that your little string of good fortune ends here. Hand over the bridge builder and I may just leave some of you alive." Anko-sensei grinned.

"Not going to happen big boy. Why don't we just skip the posturing and go straight to the fun part?" Zabuza laughed darkly.

"Fine by me girly. Kiri Gakure no Jutsu!" A dense fog immediately surrounded the area and the boys formed a defensive ring around Tazuna-san.

"Keep alert," ordered Anko-sensei. "Momochi Zabuza is an A-Class nukenin who is famed for his Muon Satsujin Jutsu. He was once an ANBU of the Hidden Mist, before he tried to overthrow the kage and fled when he failed." A sinister chuckle met that news and Zabuza's voice echoed eerily out of the mist.

"There are eight targets: Throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, he subclavian artery, kidneys, and heart. Which one will I choose?" The Genins were suddenly swamped by the overwhelming amount of killer intent that he was sending at them. Gaara gasped softly, Naruto shivered, and Haku began whimpering.

"Get your acts together!" Anko-sensei bit out. "If you three die then it'll mean more paperwork for me. And if that happens then so help me I'll resurrect your sorry bodies so that I can put them in the grave again. You three got that?" The three Genin nodded and calmed themselves, knowing that it was their sensei's way of trying to reassure them that she would not let them die. Afterall, Anko-sensei would do anything to keep away from doing too much paperwork. Tazuna watched in awe as the three pre-teens shook aside their fear and formed a tight guard around him. They waited for any sign of attack from the thick mist with a professional calm.

"Naruto," whispered Gaara, "can you get rid of this fog with your Foxfire Jutsu?" Naruto shock his head.

"Even if I could tell where I was throwing it the mist is not a natural mist so it would only be replenished." Gaara nodded and peered into the mist again.

"His target is Tazuna-san," said Haku. "In order to accomplish his mission he'll try to get by the weakest part of his defense. I'll be relying on you guys for the offense." With that, he surrounded Tazuna-san with his Makyo Hyosho. Naruto and Gaara knew that Haku would be able to use this as the perfect defense because he could immediately sense if anyone entered his mirrors and use his god like speed to trap and attack them at will. If Zabuza was dumb enough to enter the dome then Haku could simply allow Tazuna to exit and Zabuza would be done for. With this in mind they allowed their full attention to go to the battlefield. They waited for Zabuza to make the first move.

In a flash, Zabuza appeared and lunged towards Naruto with a kunai in hand. Just as quickly, Anko-sensei intercepted with her own kunai. What followed was the single most fast and deadly fight that the Genins had ever seen. At one point Anko-sensei was able to trap Zabuza with her snakes but he was able to rip away from them by breaking her arm and ripping the skin there to shreds. He pulled back to collect himself before going on the offensive again. Slowly but surely the battle was pushed over to a nearby lake and Anko-sensei was being pushed farther and farther onto the defensive. Finally, Zabuza pushed forward and with a Suiro no Jutsu and trapped the female Jonin in an orb of water. She growled again and yelled orders to take Tazuna-san and run.

"Not acceptable," said Gaara monotonously. "The moment you were captured that option went out of the window." Gaara and Naruto raised their own Kunai and charged at Zabuza. He quickly threw up a few water clones but they did not even pause as they plowed through them. Next came a barrage of shuriken from the nukenin but Naruto simply accepted the hit, while Gaara allowed them to bounce harmlessly off of his sand shield. Zabuza threw up every trick in the book but Gaara's sand shield and Naruto's Kagebushin no Jutsu continued pressing at him until he was forced to release the Water Prison and retreat to a nearby tree. Naruto formed his seals and quickly sent off a Flame Arrow Jutsu. Zabuza shuddered as the arrow slammed through his chest, cauterizing as it passed, before he passed out.

"Gotcha!" cried Naruto proudly. He approached Zabuza cautiously and prepared to tie him up. Moments later the air shimmered and Zabuza disappeared from view. "What!" screamed Naruto? "Where the hell did he go?" Haku released his jutsu and joined his brothers.

"Well, we know that he won't be coming back today with that wound. We should get to Tazuna-san's home so that we can treat our wounds." Anko-sensei came up behind them and silently and observed the Genin team that had refused to leave her in the midst of battle. She carefully cradled her broken and torn-up arm as she thought. In that moment she made up her mind about them.

"Listen up brats," she ordered. They straightened at her tone and stood at attention. Even Tazuna-san was quiet at her tone. "From now on you are not Team Eleven," she declared. "You've shown that you can hold your own when the shit hits the fan. From now on you will be known as Team Anko." The team gaped at her announcement before smiling in understanding.

"Hai sensei," chorused the newly dubbed Team Anko.

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Alright, that's all folks. Again, I don't feel like I did right by this chapter but a nice reviewer said that its unwritten law for an artist to hate their work. Please review and give me your opinion. Remember that while I accept anonymous reviews I only answer through the system. Mmmmmm...fifteen year-old Sasuke. :)


	4. Haku's Angel

I write, therefore I do not own.

I'm crying because most of you guys didn't review last chapter. Two reviews? I knew it, it really was that bad (sobs). Okay, I'm better now. I just got free tickets to go see an advanced screening of X-MEN 3. Heck yeah! And that means that now I can afford to see another movie. Sorry this chapters getting pushed back a bit but you guys understand that I can't miss this, right? In any case, this is the chapter where we start seeing my new character.

Someone brought up that my title is not very eye catching and I agree but I can't think of anything better. I basically named it Fated Meetings because Zabuza was fated to meet someone on that bridge in Haku's past, which would eventually bring about this confrontation with Naruto. With that in mind: If you guys can think of a better title then I'm all for it. It'll be like a contest. Winner will get an advanced screening (250-500 word cookie) of a scene to be used in a later chapter, if there is any winner by then.

Okay, thanks to Mimi for the help with this chapter. I'm reposting it with the corrections. Remember: permanent beta positions are still available.

Fated Meetings: Haku's Angel

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The newly dubbed Team Anko arrived at Tazuna-san's house still tired from the battle that they had fought not ten minutes earlier. Anko's damaged arm had been field dressed but it had been a fight for her to keep from going into shock. Only her training as a ninja had allowed her to keep her cool and continue on to their destination.

Tsunami-san met them at the door but her greeting was cut short as she viewed the torn up kunoichi and she quickly ushered Anko-sensei upstairs. Anko gave orders for Gaara and Naruto to check out the surrounding area before crashing and allowing Haku to perform his medical jutsus on her. Tsunami assisted him in cleaning the wounds before he began the complicated task of setting her broken bones and mending the most critical wounds on her torn flesh. Tsunami watched in awe as he worked to repair his sensei and, once he was done, she dressed the remaining wounds while he rested.

When Haku stirred again it was early morning of the next day and his brothers where just rousing from crashing after their exhausting scouting session. "Is everything clear?" asked Haku quietly. Gaara and Naruto nodded sleepily and Naruto gave Haku his fox-like grin.

"Even though Zabuza did get away," he said confidently, "my Flame Arrow Jutsu hit him cleanly through the chest and I'm sure that it must have nicked his left lung as it passed. He'll recover but it will take a few days before he does. I'd say that it will take him a week to get back up to Jonin form so we can take care of our own for now."

"I've also sent some of my ravens to keep a look-out while we are here," assured Gaara. "They will warn us if anyone breeches the intended perimeter." Haku nodded and turned to his pack. Taking a quick inventory, he decided that he could not put off gathering more herbs. It seemed that Tsunami had used the last of his while he was asleep. He borrowed a basket from Tsunami and informed his brothers of his plans. Gaara agreed and said that they would guard the house while Tsunami watched over Anko sensei. As Haku was preparing to walk out, a movement from the bedroll where Anko-sensei was resting caught his eye. He turned back to find her watching him with a fevered look.

"Hey brat," she said softly. "Just because Zabuza is down for now doesn't mean that you can let your guard down. Zabuza probably has a grunt or two that he could send to annoy us while he rests up. I've already said that you guys are my team. If you go ahead and die, don't do it in a way that embarrasses me. You got that?" Tsunami sweat dropped at this order but Haku only smiled and gave a respectful nod. He turned and continued on without a word.

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Haku left the house quietly and breathed in the salty air from the nearby beach. The day was bright, quiet, and warm. And, if not for the hitai-ate on his forehead, he could almost believe that he was just a normal boy in search or herbs for his family. There were such days when he almost longed for that normalcy but then he would remember his brothers and his vow to protect them and live for them.

Sasame-tou-san had often told him that he had too gentle a heart to be a shinobi and that his brothers would understand if he did not desire to walk the same path as them. Haku also understood that, in some way, this desire sprang from the remembrance of his birth father's reaction to the discovery of his abilities. When he had asked Sasame-tou-san about it Sasame had told him that children naturally craved acceptance from their parents. This desire could often shape the course of a child's entire life, logical or not. The fact that his father wanted him to lead a normal village life was probably a subconscious contributor to this desire for normalcy. Haku had spent many hours thinking about this until he decided that he would follow his brothers, if only to protect them. He had taken a firm role as their team's defense from that time on and had stumbled upon medical jutsus in his pursuit of that goal. Kakashi-niisan had told him on more than on occasion that he was good enough to be accepted into the medical/hunter-nin programs that Konoha Academy offered but Haku had insisted on following his brothers into the rank of genin. Kakashi simply nodded in the end and had told him that it was for the best, as he would not wish Morino Ibiki on anyone. Haku had heard that he regularly drove new oinins to tears during his interrogation classes but he surely could not be worse than Anko-sensei. If he was then Haku was more than content where he was.

Haku's reminiscing came to a halt when he found a clearing that was filled with the herbs that he needed. Setting his basket down, he applied himself to his task while he listened to the soothing sounds of the nearby stream. His basket was almost filled when he realized that the pattern of the stream had a few irregularities that kept changing positions. Surreptitiously, he regarded the sun, which was directly overhead. "That's too close to the surface to be a fish at this time of day," he thought to himself. Quickly, he turned and threw several senbons in the direction of the disturbance. A quick cry and a splash later confirmed his suspicions and Haku ran to find his target. He approached then water warily and gripped his kunai as his prey came back up to the surface, only to drop it in shock when a girl came up choking and sputtering. Haku quickly used his Kekkei Genkai to lift her up out of the water and bring her to shore.

"I'm sorry," he stammered. "Are you okay?" The girl only nodded and took deep breaths. Haku regarded his find with a worried look. There was no doubt that she was a ninja, as she had been walking on water before he caught her, but the way she had responded to his attack told him that she must be a genin and too weak to be on Zabuza's payroll. So why had she been watching him? The girl finally got her breathing under control and brushed her hair away from her face. This allowed Haku to get his first good look at the kunoichi. Age did not mean much to a ninja but if she followed the normal term of training then he was right about her being a genin as she could not have been any older than him. She was small for a kunoichi and Haku estimated that he would have a good head more than her if they were standing. Her hair was a strange and beautiful shade of blue, which fell just past her shoulders and was currently dripping wet. She was wearing a no-sleeve black dress that formed a collar around her neck, hugged her curves. The dress was accented along the edges with a shimmering blue trim and screamed beautiful but deadly to him. It fell to just below her knees and broke off into two slits that rode up to each hip, revealing black spandex shorts underneath that did nothing to hide her sleek legs. Haku blushed at that thought and fixed his eyes above her chin only to be taken breathless by her innocent amber eyes, which were framed with thick lashes, and her pink lips. Haku violently squashed the urge to kiss those lips and wondered, vaguely, what the hell was wrong with him. He coaxed the water away from her; drying her in the method he had discovered when Naruto had gone though his water balloons phase. The girl smiled and thanked him gently.

"I'm sorry that I startled you," she said quietly. "I didn't realize that you were a ninja. My sensei sent me to practice water walking while he works on a mission. I thought that you were a villager and wouldn't notice if I practiced near you." Haku nodded.

"I understand. My name is Haku. What's your name? What mission is your sensei on?" The girl blushed.

"My name is Rin. My sensei is...searching for a missing friend. He's been searching for two years but he never lets me help because he says he has to go to unsavory places to get information." She sighed softly. "I think he just realizes that I'm too weak to be of any help," she finished in a whisper. "He's been taking care of me since I was five but I haven't learned fast enough to please him."

"I'm sure that's not true," said Haku vehemently. Rin blinked at that. "If he's been raising you for so long then he must care for you. I'm sure that he just wants to protect you." Haku stopped and blushed again, wondering why he cared so much for a girl that he had only just met. Rin only smiled.

"That's sweet of you to say. I just want to make my master happy. He is my most precious person."

"I know what you mean. My brothers are my precious people so I became a Nin to protect them. I'm sure that you already make your sensei happy." Rin nodded and then gasped.

"Its already past noon?" she exclaimed when she saw the sun's position. "I have to go. My master ordered my to be back by noon. He'll be so mad! Bye Haku-san." She got up and ran back up the stream.

"Bye Rin-san," called Haku before she disappeared. "I hope I get to meet you again!" Rin did not answer but kept running.

"Bye Haku-kun," she thought to herself. "I hope that we do not meet again because if we do then I will have to kill you." She fingered the kunai that she had hesitated to draw before he had caught her. At least Zabuza-sama would not learn of this failure since her coming across the Konoha nin had been by pure chance. Rin reached her destination and entered the house that her master was resting and healing in. She reported her training exercise completed and moved to prepare his meal with a great weight in her stomach. She had the sinking feeling that she would be making her first kill soon.

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Haku returned to Tazuna-san's house just as Tsunami was setting down the meal for her family and guests. "Hey Haku, great timing," called Naruto from his seat at the table. "We've already seen to Anko-sensei's wounds and she is sleeping right now. You might as well sit and join us." Haku nodded and took his place at Gaara's side. Gaara, who had set aside his gourd, was already eating his roasted fish with his usual calm grace. "Itadakimasu!" called Naruto as he broke apart his chopsticks and plowed into his bowl of rice. Haku smiled and thanked Tsunami for the meal before beginning himself.

Moments later a quiet "Tadaima" alerted the Nins to a person entering the house. The three turned to regard the small boy before returning to their meals. They had been introduced to Inari, Tsunami's son, briefly last night but they had been more preoccupied with their sensei and Inari had quickly disappeared. The withdrawn boy did not say a word as he sat to eat his meal and his mother and grandfather only welcomed him home lovingly before joining them in a silent meal. Haku accepted the quiet as a rare gift and chose to ignore the occasional glance that Gaara sent his way. He was just setting down his chopsticks when Gaara seemed to loose his patience.

"So are you going to tell us who was responsible for that perimeter breech that we got earlier?" he asked quietly. Haku sighed.

"It's nothing to worry about. Just a couple of Nins on a missing person. Even if the timing is suspicious, she couldn't have been above the level of an average genin."

"She?" questioned Naruto with a teasing grin. Gaara rolled his eyes and ignored him, choosing instead to focus on Haku, the tomato faced wonder.

"You of all people should know that appearances can be deceiving," he admonished lightly. "While we are on a mission, everyone is suspect." Haku nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry," he said calmly. "The last thing that I want to do is jeopardize the mission. I'm more then ready to engage in battle, should the need arise." A growl from the side of them stilled their conversation.

"What do you guys know about battle? Gatou will kill you all once he gets the chance, no matter what you do to try and stop him. All of you are just smiling and talking about it like its nothing. You don't know how hard life can be!" He ran out of the house in anger, slamming the door behind him. Tsunami sighed bowed to the genins.

"Please forgive my son," she said softly. "My second husband was like a blood father to Inari and when he stood up to Gatou he was killed by the beast. Inari has not been the same since. He has become very afraid and seems to have lost all purpose." Haku stood to run after the boy and attempt to comfort him but Naruto stepped in his path and smiled gently.

"Please let me," he said quietly. "Perhaps I can get through to him." Haku had seen this expression of understanding and determination on Naruto rarely and he knew that during such a time he should not get in his brother's way. He sat back down and asked Tsunami to go into more detail on the matter while Naruto followed the young boy's painfully obvious path.

When he caught up with the boy, Inari was sitting on a pier that nestled into the water twenty meters from his house. Naruto watched for a moment as the boy angrily threw the crumbled up remains of his dinner roll at a passing bird before sitting down and removing a picture from the front of his shirt. Naruto decided to make his appearance before the boy could get much more depressed and came down the pier with a small amount of noise. Sure enough, Inari heard him and stuffed the picture back in its hiding place in his shirt before erasing all signs that he had been crying. He seemed to brace himself, as if he expected Naruto to begin yelling but Naruto only sat down next to him on the pier and joined him in his bird watching. Inari regarded him suspiciously and Naruto decided to break his silence.

"Did you know that I killed a man before?" Naruto asked casually. Inari gasped and stared at him. "I was only six years old," Naruto continued as he watched a passing gull serenely. "This nin was angry because in his hatred of me he got demoted to genin. He tried to kill us while Sasame-tou-san was gone and could not protect us. Iruka-sensei tried to protect us but he was the man's subordinate and the man knew all of his weaknesses. The man knocked him out and came to kill my brothers and me. I killed him with a single jutsu.

"I pretended for days afterwards that I was fine but really inside...I was screaming. I thought that perhaps the man had been right and that I was evil. I was also scared because, up until a year prior, I had been completely alone and I thought that the family that I had found would change their minds and leave me all alone again. I stopped eating and I wouldn't talk, even to my brothers. I think I scared them a little then. But then Sasame-tou-san talked to me and he told me that when I killed that man I did it out of love and so I couldn't be bad."

"Love?" asked Inari in confusion. Naruto nodded.

"Love is the act of devoting yourself to others and you demonstrate it by protecting them with your own two hands. If the man had attacked just me I may very well have died but he attacked my brothers as well. Since I love my brothers very much I protected them with my own two hands even though that meant that I had to do something terrible. Even though it was putting me in between them and the danger. If I failed they would still have had time to get away and find help. They would be protected by Hokage-sama, who was on his way to help, and I could die happy knowing that my brothers were safe. This is the truth that I learned from Sasame-tou-san and I have never forgotten it. I love my brothers and I love my village so I will protect them all, even should it put me in danger."

"With your own two hands," whispered Inari in wonder: Memories of the man that he had once called father raced through his mind. A loved and lost voice echoed those same words in his thoughts.

"I will only say this more. It is okay to be afraid but you cannot allow that to stop you from living your life. A life that your otou-san will be proud of, no matter what you do with it." Naruto stood and returned to the house leaving Inari to his thoughts.

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That's all for now. Next time: Anko is up and at'em again. Be Afraid. And just who is Rin's sensei looking for?

If anyone likes Gravitation: I've released a one-shot of why Ryuichi is Ryuichi. Is he just weirdly loveable or is he moved by something dark in his past? Check out 'A Fractured Mind' please.


	5. For My Precious Person

Disclaimer: Redundant much?

I know: I'm late posting again. It was my birthday last weekend and I went down a dress size so there was much partying, gomen. By the way, why have I been getting so few reviews these last few chapters? Well the sugar high from the cake is running its course so I'll get to work. Funny when you cut down on sugar even the tiniest bit starts to effect you.

Fated Meetings: For My Precious Person

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Anko awoke with the knowledge that the sun was just rising and winced as a beam of light fell across her eyes. She sat up and looked around to find two of her genins, Haku and Naruto, sleeping not far from her, while her other genin, Gaara, kept a calm look out from the window. He did not look at her but she could tell that he was following her every move. "What day is it brat?" she demanded.

"Thursday," he responded quietly. "It has been two days since the battle and Tazuna will be resuming his bridge building today. Anko nodded and tested out her injured arm.

"Impressive, it's almost completely healed. That brat has quite a bit talent. I will be taking guard with Tazuna-san today while you three complete a training exercise. Have your teammates up in five minutes. I'll explain your task over breakfast." Gaara nodded and watched as his sensei got up and walked stiffly out of the room. Five minutes later he and his bedraggled brothers traced her path down to the kitchen and joined her for breakfast.

"Alright you three," she said around a mouthful of oatmeal, "This is how we are going to be doing this. I'll be accompanying our client to the bridge today while you three perform a training exercise. You will go to the forest nearby and…climb trees!" Gaara and Haku face vaulted, while Naruto gagged on his breakfast.

"What?" he screamed. "But we've known how to do that since we were six! Why would you give us such an easy task?" Anko smirked sadistically.

"Yes, but in this case I will be adding a small jutsu to the program. As you try to climb the trees I will have spikes randomly piercing out of the trunks. Let your mind wander or allow yourself to become too slow and you'll be shish kabob." Tsunami gasped from the stove where she was stirring the pot. The boys just gulped and looked at each other nervously. That sounded more like their sensei. No doubt she would make it so that the spikes traveled at a Jonin's speed. They sighed and resigned themselves to incurring several injuries in the coming hours. Anko just grinned and continued to enjoy her breakfast.

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The bar tender looked up as the bell signaled another customer entering his tavern. These days more people where becoming inclined to spend the little bit of money that they had on alcohol: Some villagers where even beginning to barter services for a simple drink. He was probably the only one in the village who was not hurting for food but that did not mean that he would be able to keep his tavern for much longer. Gatou had begun demanding 'protection' from him not too long ago and he was already beginning to scrape the bottom of the barrel, in terms of cash.

He regarded the hooded man with some suspicion and was about to turn him away when the man flashed a fist full of ryu. The bar keeper blinked in shock for a moment before rushing to pour him a pint of his best house brew. The man nodded in thanks and moved to occupy a stool in the middle of a group of villagers at the bar.

Zabuza sat down in the center of a group of villagers and took a long draught from his mug. The brew was slightly bitter but not all that bad. He had abandoned his mask for the day and had donned a simple hooded jacket to blend in with the locals. It also went a long way towards hiding all of the weapons that he was carrying to compensate for having to leave his beloved sword behind. It was not often that Zabuza joined the local rabble for a couple of drinks but in his experience as a ninja it was the best way to collect information.

For the last two years, information gathering was just what he had been concentrating on. Just two years ago his subordinate had brought him the proof to the cover up that he had always suspected. The one person whom he loved most in the world, the same person that he thought had died long ago, was actually alive and exiled from Kirigakure.

When he had found that out he had immediately begun the search for his lost friend but after two years he was beginning to become disheartened. Trips to dozens of bars, such as the one he was in now, had brought him news of sightings that had dated back to nearly seven years ago. Some said that they had seen him in Sunagakure, while still others had reported him in the land of waves. Each report had been certain of the sighting and each report led him to another dead end.

Zabuza had already determined that this was not where his friend was but for now he needed sanctuary from the hunter nins and funds to continue his search. This had brought him to his current employment with Gatou. Alone he would have simply stolen the funds he needed and moved on but with his subordinate's care in mind he had to settle for a safer alternative.

It also did not help that his subordinate had turned out to be a painfully average kunoichi. The only areas that she truly excelled at were information gathering and stealth. This was due to the jutsu that she had managed to create at the age of ten. Zabuza gave a small grin of pride as he remembered that achievement by his pupil.

(FLASHBACK - Two Years Ago)

"Zabuza-sama!" cried an excited voice from behind him. Zabuza turned in irritation and looked to his pupil in disgust. He stretched out his senses to ensure that they were alone in the sparse camp.

"What have I told you, stupid girl," he bit out. "You must refrain from drawing any attention to us and must never use my name when we are so close to Kirigakure! Be grateful that we are alone in this forest and never make such a mistake again!" Amber eyes filled with tears and a pouty lower lip pushed out.

"I'm sorry sensei," she whispered with a soft cry. Her head tilted down and blue hair fell forward to partially hide her trembling face. Zabuza sighed at the girl's tears and pushed her hair back with a casual hand.

"What is it that you wanted to show me Rin? You still have fifteen minutes left to your training schedule." Rin's face light back up and she began bouncing in excitement.

"I finished the jutsu that I've been working on. I'm calling it the Invisibility Jutsu." She made a few hand seals and promptly disappeared from view, only reappear moments later. Zabuza raised an eyebrow in interest.

"I thought that you were working on bending light around shuriken. How did you come across this?" Rin blushed.

"Ano…I was so good at it that I tried to do it around larger objects. I finally figured out how to do it around myself so that I'm practically invisible. I can show you how I did it if you want Zabuza-sama." Zabuza frowned and shook his head.

"Keep it," he ordered darkly. "You may need it if I some day betray you." Rin winced and looked at him sadly. Zabuza sighed and placed a gentle hand on her head. "I'm very proud of you runt, just don't think that this gets you out of your training for today." Rin grinned in pleasure.

"Yes Zabuza-sama," she said with a squeal. She wrapped him in a quick hug before running back to her training sight. Zabuza cursed himself for going soft and turned back to cooking their evening meal. Moments later his head popped up in realization. This would be the perfect opportunity.

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Three weeks later Zabuza could be found pacing the camp site nervously. He had sent Rin on a mission as her test to be a 'genin'. He had ordered her to use her jutsu to sneak into the Kirikage's rooms and steal a hitai-ate and a scroll. She was to then meet him back at camp and present her prize. He had ordered her to practice holding her jutsu for long periods of time and knew that she could do so if she performed no other jutsus but if she was sensed then she would be caught in less then a minute. This mission would be a risky one for her but he had to capitalize on this opportunity.

A rustle of leaves alerted him to an approaching figure and Zabuza raised a kunai cautiously only to drop it moments later when Rin came back into view. "I did it Zabuza-sama," she announced happily. "They never even knew that I was there." He looked at the scroll and hitai-ate in her hands and smiled proudly. He took the hitai-ate and tied it around her forehead before taking the scroll from her.

"Great work kid," he praised. "Congratulations on making it to genin. Now go take a bath." Rin's face crinkled and she headed towards the river to comply. Zabuza waited until she was gone and then opened the scroll with bated breath. His eyes landed on an entry that was five years old.

_**In the case of Academy drop out Sasame:**_

**_During a time of low shinobi occupancy in Kirigakure, the person in question was ordered to join a hunt for bandits who had been raiding the neighboring villages. Upon refusal he was ordered to be executed by the Kirikage. The Village Council interceded and it was decided that, as the person in question was not a sanctioned shinobi of the village, no treason had been committed. Kirikage instead ordered that the villager in question be exiled. The villager known as Sasame was given seven days to leave Kirigakure. The exile's departure occurred on the seventh day, just three hours before the raid of earlier stated bandits. Kirikage ordered that the exiled be listed as killed in the skirmish to ensure the continued loyalty of one Momochi Zabuza. All effects left behind have become the property of the Kirikage and are listed under the stated year's tribute._**

Zabuza burned the scroll in the camp fire and watched as it turned to ash. His only friend was still alive and he vowed that he would find him again.

(END FLASHBACK)

Zabuza stared at his empty mug and ordered another from the eager bar tender. At that moment he had been so happy for the news that he had not even stopped to consider the enormity of his task. A shinobi might be found easier if listed with a certain village but civilians ran roughly unchecked. He could not even be certain that Sasame was still alive after seven years of exile. Those exiled from the 'bloody mist' where not often trusted and it was common for them to die alone.

Zabuza shook his head, as if to clear it, and set his mind to business. If he was lucky he might find some news from one of these drunks. At the very least he might learn something of his current mark. His prey instantly opened up to the man who bought the next round.

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Nimble fingers stumbled as Sasame sneezed suddenly and he ended up pricking himself with his needle. He set aside the vest that would be included with his new summer line and took a break to enjoy some of the fine tea that one of his many admirers had gifted him with.

Although he had many women, and a few men, throwing themselves at him he had yet to settle down. It had not bothered him that much when his time had been so filled with raising and training three energetic boys but now that they were on a mission to Nami no Kuni he had nothing to distract him from the yawning loneliness that was surrounding him. Even now that he was so accepted in his new village and home, he could not forget the one thing that still tied him to Kirigakure, the village that he had once called home.

(FLASHBACK- 25 years ago)

Sasame watched as the coffins of his parents were lowered slowly into the ground. Just three days ago a team of ninjas had attacked Kirigakure and had killed many shinobi and villagers before they could be stopped. Sasame had been in school at the time of the attack and had been safeguarded by the local academy but his parents had not been so fortunate. The enemy shinobi had not cared that they were only simple clothiers and had killed them ruthlessly before moving on, leaving seven-year-old Sasame an orphan. His father's wish to see his son take over the family business would never be fulfilled now. He followed the priest's prompts mechanically and finally left when the funeral was over.

For a while Sasame simply wandered around the village, unwilling to return to his empty home. Why did this have to happen to his parents? Was there something that he could have done differently? Sasame's musings where cut short when a determined cry broke his concentration. He realized that his musings had taken him right in front of the Academy. He watched as students his age learned to throw kunai with precise accuracy.

"The academy," he murmured softly. "If there were more shinobi to fight then my parents would have been protected." He gasped suddenly. "That's it! This is what I can do differently!" He raced to the main office with a determined look. He would learn the skills that it took to be a shinobi and this time he would protect his loved ones with his own two hands.

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"Class, this is Sasame," said Tanaka-sensei coldly. "He will be joining us late. Momochi Zabuza, he is to be paired with you. You will see to it that he is caught up by next month or neither of you will enjoy the consequences." Sasame nodded in understanding and went to join the masked boy.

"Good luck with Ice King," snickered one of the boys as he passed. Zabuza merely glared at the new kid before dismissing him. Sasame gave a kind smile.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "I will not let you down." Zabuza sneered.

"Your manner is too gentle. That alone tells me that you are too soft to be a Nin. You should just quit now." Sasame shook his head and turned to the front.

"That is something that I cannot do. We will simply have to grow strong together."

"I don't do together," Zabuza sneered before he dismissed him completely.

(FLASHBACK CONT. - 20 years ago)

Sasame ran to meet up with Zabuza on their usual training ground. After a rocky month he had managed to earn the Ice King's respect and eventual friendship. They had helped each other reach the top of the class and were set to take the genin exam in just two days. Sasame had no doubt that they would be placed on the same genin team once they passed the exam. He would be able to protect Zabuza on his missions just as he had hoped. He shot into the clearing and came to a stop in front of the masked boy.

"Sorry that I'm late Zabuza. I had to leave orders for my staff at the shop. I'm not even an adult yet and they're running to me for every little thing." He snickered and pulled out a small notebook. "I found out that only Tanaka-sensei will be presiding over the exams. That's rather unusual isn't it? It'll take him hours to test us all." Zabuza only stared at him with a serious look. "Is something the matter Zabuza?" he asked.

"I think you should stay in the academy," he announced suddenly.

"What!" asked Sasame with a start?

"Well, it's just that you did so well at the human psychology section of interrogation training. I'm sure that the interrogation instructors would jump at the chance to accept you into their program and interrogators are paid very well." Sasame frowned lightly.

"Why are you telling me this Zabuza? You know perfectly well that I have already decided to take the graduation exam. I want to be on the same cell as you."

"And nothing will change your mind?" asked Zabuza darkly. Sasame shook his head with confusion. "Then I'm sorry about this my friend," he whispered.

"What…" Sasame's voice cut off as a blow landed on the back of his head. He didn't even register his body hitting the ground.

Zabuza dispelled his clone and looked down at his injured friend. "Forgive me Sasame," he murmured.

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Zabuza entered the hospital room with his head hung low. His new hitai-ate was slung sideways on his head, serving as a reminder of the atrocities that he had committed less than a day ago. The only other survivor from his age group was sitting on the lone bed and gazing absently out the window. His eyes looked sadder then he had ever remembered seeing them. Sasame looked up as he reached his bedside.

"I hear that they are calling you Kirigakure no Kijin now," said Sasame with a tired sigh. Zabuza winced but did not reply. "I have decided that I will not try to become a nin again," continued Sasame after a moment. Zabuza gasped.

"But Sasame, being a shinobi has always been your dream," he protested. "You promised that we would become strong together and fight together. Please don't let my sins and what I have done come in the way of that." Sasame looked at his friend and shook his head sadly.

"What you have done has nothing and everything to do with my decision to quite as a nin. I could never hate you for what you have done. You even went so far as to save me by making sure that I was not there. You always have been and will always be my dearest friend. But…" He fixed his eyes determinedly on his bedcovers and shivered with hatred, his fists clenching the fabric tightly. "I could never forgive the village that forced my friend to commit the sins that he did. I cannot forgive this village for forcing such a terrible choice on you and I refuse to fight for it. I wanted to protect my precious one with my own two hands: that was my dream. It turns out that this damned village has already harmed him and I could do nothing for it."

"Sasame…" breathed Zabuza shaken. Sasame shook his head again.

"You can't change my mind Zabuza. I have already informed my employees that I will be taking over my father's clothing shop, as per his last wishes. I will become nothing more than a civilian and live out my life with no broadened attachment to the village." Zabuza hung his head and backed away slowly.

"I understand," he murmured. "But as a shinobi I can do no other than protect this village and those living in it." Sasame smiled and nodded softly, not at all surprised when he looked up to find his room empty.

(FLASHBACK CONT. – 8 years ago)

The Kirikage glared down at him in disgust before throwing the scroll with his verdict at him. Sasame unrolled the scroll and frowned at the words written on it. He was exiled and was ordered to leave the village before the end of seven days. Zabuza was not due to return from his mission for two weeks.

Sasame frowned and presented his back to the Kirikage. The man bristled behind him and glared at his back as Sasame marched out uncaringly. If he was exiled then he had no further need to fake loyalty to the man. He would pack up his important possessions and leave tomorrow. The damn village was welcome to the rest. His only regret was in having to leave Zabuza behind. His friend would be all alone now.

Sasame ended up leaving on the seventh day, just hours before his time was up. His father's truck had broken down and so he had needed to wait for the part he needed to arrive. Once it had arrived it was a simple matter of installing it and setting out on the road. He left all reminders of Zabuza behind. It would be better to forget that they had ever met.

The guards did not even look at him as he left. He was now dead to the village. He did not realize that he would be dead on paper in only a few short hours. When Zabuza retuned a week later he would be told that his only friend had been killed in a bandit raid. This turn of events would cause him to vow to take over Kirigakure and turn it into a village that Sasame would have been proud to be a shinobi of. Just two years later his only friend would become a hunted nukenin.

(END FLASHBACK)

Sasame returned to his seat but did not pick up the vest that he had been working on. He had deluded himself, he realized, when he had decided that he would be able to leave Zabuza behind and start a new life. He would give anything if only he could be with the one that he loved most in the world, but that was not possible. Zabuza was a hunted nukenin whose face was in every village's bingo book. The only way he would ever see his precious person again was to meet him in death. Sasame knocked his work aside and wept.

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The end has arrived. I hope that you liked seeing more of Sasame's past. Review and tell me what you think.


	6. Resolve

Wow, it's been a while hasn't it. Sorry about that. Apparently, if you're good at your job then that's an indicator to the higher-ups that you need more responsibility. Dear gods, if I have to write one more report today then I swear that I'll use a katon jutsu on the place. I'll try not to let that happen again. Anywho, this chapter went fast because I'm busy getting ready for Otakon and I'm really excited!

Okay, the first section may be a little boring but the next section will have new material.

Fated Meetings: Resolve

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Tsunami stared absently out the window as she washed the dishes. The genin team that had arrived from Konoha had set out that morning to guard her father as he completed the bridge that would link them to the main land. Gatou would soon be powerless to stop them from seeking services elsewhere and her beloved husband would be able to rest in peace with his village safe. Tsunami closed off the water and reached for a dish rag. Moments later the sound of the front door opening broke the stillness of the house and she paused in her work.

"Inari," she called out, "is that you sweetie?" Dark laughter answered. Tsunami jumped and spun around to find two strange men with wicked looking swords leering at her. "What do you want," she demanded shakily.

"What do we want?" called the smaller one with a chuckle. "We want you." Tsunami gasped and took a frightened step back as the man began to approach. "Gatou will see you now," he laughed. Steps on the stairs sounded and all three turned to watch as Inari rushed into the kitchen.

"Kaa-san," he called out in terror. Tsunami's heart froze.

"Inari," she called desperately. "Run, run away now!" She watched as Inari trembled and then became paralyzed with fear. The larger man chuckled and grabbed his sword in anticipation.

"Hey Zouri, what do you say we cut this kid up? We've got some time before we have to meet the boss and we only need one hostage," he said with a grin.

"No!" cried Tsunami. "If you lay so much as a hand on him I swear I'll bite my tongue off and commit suicide." She took a deep breath and prepared to follow through with her threat if either moved to Inari. They would not harm her baby. The two sneered and backed away from him.

"Looks like you luck out today kid. Let's go lady." Tsunami held her head up bravely as she walked past her son.

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Inari fell back as they passed and exited the house. "Mother, what do I do?" He sobbed as another shiver of fear passed through him. "I want to help but I don't want to die. I'm afraid, what do I do?"

"It's okay to be afraid." Inari gasped as his mind locked onto Naruto's words from a few days ago. "It is okay to be afraid but you cannot allow that to stop you from living your life. A life that your otou-san would be proud of, no matter what you do with it." Inari stilled and stood up with a deep breath.

"Naruto was right. I have to act, even if I'm scared. I promise to be as strong as chichue was and protect my family with my own two hands." He gave a determined cry and ran out to where the two thugs were escorting his mother down the lane. "Hey you jerks," he screamed. "Let my mother go!" He ran at them with a determined cry. Zouri sneered and batted him away with a negligent hand. Tsunami cried out but a blow to the back of her head knocked her out moments later.

"Kid, you are just itching to die aren't you?" asked Zouri with a chuckle. Inari struggled to his feet and raised his fists to fight the two thugs only to watch as they shuddered and fell to the ground unconscious. A satisfied chuckle alerted him to the nin that was standing protectively over his mother. Inari turned to find Naruto wiping his hands in satisfaction.

"Good job Inari," he praised happily. "We felt the perimeter breech but I wasn't sure that I'd get back in time. Thanks for holding them off for me. Your father would be proud." Inari looked at Naruto in wonder and then smiled happily.

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(Flashback – 6 years ago)

"Aniki!" cried a young girl as she tore down the village's main street. A young man turned and stopped to scoop her up into his arm's as she reached him. "Aniki, you said that you'd stay home today," she whined softly. The young man hugged her.

"Gomen Rin," he replied softly, "but I have some things that need to be done. It can't be helped."

"But it's my birthday," she cried with watery eyes. The man only set her down and apologized again before running off. Rin pouted and returned to the two room cabin that she shared with her brother on the outskirts of town. Her parents had died when she was three, because of an illness that had taken almost half the small village. Over the next two years her brother had struggled to raise her until he was forced to take a job with the local yakuza. He now made enough money for them both to live but he often came home with one wound or another and he never talked about what it was that he did.

Rin waited patiently for her brother to come home but the time for his arrival came and went with no sign of him. Rin ate her dinner by the small fire that she had built in the fireplace while she waited for him to come home. Finally, around sundown she heard steps coming towards the house. She jumped up and ran to the door excitedly. "Aniki," she cried as she threw open the door. She stopped when she saw who it was.

"Ritsuko-san," she mumbled in welcome. The tall and wiry brunette was the man who had helped her brother get his job with the yakuza. His hair stood up as if it had been shocked and his katana was slung carelessly over his shoulder. Splotches of blood marred his faded yukata. The man gave an evil grin and grabbed the scruff of her shirt in a cruel hold. With more force the necessary, he pulled her forward and threw her into the dusty and grassless yard.

"Beat it brat," he ordered coldly. "Your brother is dead. This house and everything in it belong to the yakuza now."

"What!" screamed Rin in tears? Ritsuka only laughed and slammed the door on her, locking her out of her only home. Rin stood and walked away aimlessly, tears rolling uncontrollably down her face.

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Rin shivered as the cold air blew through her ragged clothes. It had been two months since her brother had died and she had been forced to leave her impoverished village. No one could afford another mouth to feed and so she had made her way to a larger village where she had been forced to resort to begging. Most days she could get by on her cute looks but today most of the villagers were staying indoors to avoid the cold. She shivered again and decided to make her way to the alley that she was currently calling her home. It wasn't clean but it was shelter from the wind and the bakery that formed one of the walls gave at least some heat.

Rin was passing over a small bridge when her legs wobbled and suddenly gave out. She fell haphazardly and drug herself to the side of the bridge. Leaning back against the rail post, she waited for the weakness from hunger to pass and rested her head on her knees.

"What a wretched creature you are," said a voice over her darkly. Her head snapped up to view a large man standing over her with a look of contempt. The lower portion of his face was covered with a mask and a strange headband was slung sideways on his head. A large sword was strapped to his back and covered with a cloth to protect it from the snow that was beginning to fall. "To think," the man continued. "You probably won't make it past this next snow. You'll die with not even the fleas to mourn you. Why don't you just end it now?" Rin blinked and gave a small smile.

"That is something that I can't do. I'll just have to get stronger." Zabuza gave a small start as memories of a person saying much the same thing passed through his thoughts. "Why are your eyes so sad mister?" said the girl as she interrupted his thoughts. Zabuza gave a small smile.

"Hey kid, why don't you come with me, I'll make sure that you get stronger." Rin smiled and got up, ready to follow her new master.

(Flashback Cont. – 5 years ago)

Zabuza snuck along the outer wall of the Mizukage Tower. After tonight the Mizukage, who had ordered his genin exam and who had done nothing when Sasame was killed, would be dead and Zabuza would control the Mist Village. He gave a grim smile and calmly cut the throat of a nearby guard, living up to his reputation as the silent assassin. He was almost to his target when the alarm went up and jonin began to arrive in mass. Zabuza cursed and pulled back to the outer wall again. "They must have found the bodies that I had stowed away," Zabuza mumbled to himself. "No matter, I'll try again some other day."

Suddenly a cry went up and Zabuza snuck a look to see that his student was being pursued by two chunin who had caught her keeping rear watch. Rin hastily threw an explosive note, which was easily dodged by the two pursuing nins, and drew out a kunai with trembling hand. Zabuza cursed and sprang forward, killing one of the chunin with ease. He turned to dispatch the other but the nin took one look at him and ran. Zabuza cursed and ran to Rin. He picked her up and ran as fast as he could for the forest, well aware of the oinin that would soon be after them.

Rin looked up from her spot in her master's arms. "Gomen ne, Zabuza-sama," she whispered close to tears. Zabuza said nothing but held her a fraction closer as he ran. Rin buried her face in his chest and swore that she would never fail him again.

(Present)

The door swung open, snapping Rin out of her thoughts. She watched as Zabuza-sama entered and picked up his beloved sword, Kibikiri Houcho. He looked at her strangely for a moment and then shook his head. "It is time," he announced softly.

"Hai Zabuza-sama," she answered. She faded out of sight with a determined look. She would not fail him again.

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That's all folks. Next time: Battle on the bridge!

Thanks a mill to my new beta reader Capito Celcior!


	7. To Fight What You Can't See

Hi all. I know: I did it again. I couldn't help it though. I decided to learn how to do taxes before next tax season. What the heck was I thinking? That final was so brutal that my head is still spinning. I should have just decided to get a normal spring part-time. Anywho, here's the next chapter.

Thanks again to my beta, Capito Celcior.

Fated Meetings: To Fight What You Can't See

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Anko sighed in boredom as she watched her client toil away on the bridge that was now just feet away from reaching the main land. The blonde brat had gone to deal with the two peons back at the house and so far it was looking as though that was all the action that they were going to see today. She wasn't about to hold her breath though. The sun was still high in the sky and Gatou stood to loose quite a bit of money from the bridge's completion. Anko had no doubt that Zabuza would reappear at some point today.

Work soon came to a halt as Tazuna secured the last beam for the section they were working on and ordered the three other hired hands to break for lunch. The three had scarcely left before a heavy mist set in and a cold killing intent made itself known. Anko turned to the end of the bridge, hardly surprised to see a fully healed Zabuza standing alone with his trust Zanbatou. She didn't even need to look over to know that sand brat and needle boy had taken defensive positions around their client. She gave a predatory grin and focused on her opponent.

"I take it from the fact that you're all still here that you have decided to embrace your death at my hands," called Zabuza with a chilling laugh. Anko grinned and let loose her own killing intent. Zabuza stopped laughing and pulled his sword out angrily. No tree hugging, kunoichi wannabe was going to outstrip his killer intent without facing the consequences! He allowed a feral grin to show under his mask and let fly his trusty sword. Both nins were engaged in the air before it even reached its destination.

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Haku and Gaara stood in front of Tazuna as they watched their sensei battle with the deadly mist nin. Neither held any weapons ready and Gaara held his arms in their customary crossed position. It was therefore logical for Tazuna to assume that neither was paying very much attention to him. He trembled at the sight of the full out Jonin battle that was occurring in front of him. Neither of the brats seemed concerned with the large water dragon that was currently attacking their sensei, or the snakes that were attempting to coil the dragon conjurer in a strangle hold.

Tazuna was just about to scream out and remind them of their duty to protect him when a sudden wall of sand rose up and blocked a rain of kunai that had come out of nowhere. He jumped in shock and watched in awe as Haku sent an answering rain of senbon the moment the sand shield dropped. The senbon planted themselves firmly and harmlessly into a nearby tree.

Haku sighed and stepped away from his teammate and client cautiously. It was clear that this new enemy would not show themselves any time soon and by the time he could get a location using Gaara's sand that enemy would have already moved, making any retaliation useless. So the question was: How do you fight something you can't see?

"Hyoton: Crystal Ice Spears!" All around Haku, spears of ice shot up from the ground and shimmered with a clean and deadly elegance: a miss. Haku dispelled the jutsu and tried again. "Hyoton: Crystal Ice Spears!" A splash of red and a soft cry: only a glancing blow but it was enough.

Haku watched as the trail of blood weaved between his spears and the enemy attempted to take refuge behind one of the large blades. "We can't have that," he murmured softly. Forming his chakra to surround the puddle of blood he formed his seals and called on his Makyo Hyo Sho. He nodded in satisfaction as he felt inside of his prison and located his opponent. They would be unable to escape now. He turned to where his teacher was fighting and observed her battle.

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Anko smiled sadistically as Zabuza retreated from her Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu and fell perfectly into range for one of her waiting traps. Zabuza swore and dove for cover as a rain of explosive notes fell from their hidden catch and began to blow around him. He growled angrily and jumped back up once the blasts had ended.

"Damn you, leaf dog. You booby trapped the field!" Anko grinned and liked Zabuza's blood from her Kunai.

"You didn't think that I'd let you sneak up on us without paying the consequences did you? You life is what I will demand, though I'll have some fun cutting you to pieces first." She flew through some seals and sent out her attack, "Doton: Mud Cocoon." The ground around Zabuza rushed up and encased him in a shell of mud. Anko smirked and threw her kunai at the cocoon directing her chakra to set shadow clones of the kunai to fly at it from all angles. Another seal and the shadow clone kunai shifted into ten deadly katana. The shell of mud was pierced through like a pin cushion and fell apart to reveal that it was in fact empty. Anko sighed and jumped and Zabuza's Zanbatou cleaved through the air where she had been only seconds before.

"I'm not about to make it that easy for you," he spat. "This party is just getting started."

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Haku watched his sensei send a wicked looking fire whip careening at Zabuza and sensed that his prisoner was attempting to escape his ice prison. He turned to find that the trail of blood had stopped, meaning that his opponent had managed some first-aid, but that mattered little. There was not a thing that went on in his prison that he did not know about. He located his opponent trying to sneak between two panes of ice and maneuvered them to shift and close off the escape route.

Haku entered the nearest mirror and allowed his reflection to reflect over the other panes. He did not have to kill his opponent but neither could he allow them to escape. He would just delay them until Anko-sensei had finished with Zabuza. There would be little point in battling then and Haku could avoid the kill. With that in mind, he sent a volley of senbon and set himself to wait out the proverbial clock.

Inside of the prison, Rin was racking her mind, trying to find some way to escape from Haku's jutsu. Invisibility didn't seem to protect her any more: it seemed he could tell where she was regardless of sight. For some strange reason, however, she did not want to let him know that it was her that he was fighting. Rather then conserve chakra by dropping the jutsu she collected herself and tried to do as Zabuza had always advised her. When in a dangerous situation just shut up and think. She watched dodged Haku's senbon, taking two into the arm rather than letting them hit her vitals. Sunlight glinted off of the mirrors as she repositioned herself to face the reflection that she thought might be Haku. Rin paused mid-move and looked to the sunlight again. Maybe she could make this prison work for her.

Rin smiled and began weaving her chakra differently. Instead of just allowing the redirected sunlight to bend around her she began to concentrate it together. She thanked Kami for the movie that Zabuza had allowed her to watch while they were still in Suna and targeted her new 'laser beam' at the most angle worthy mirror.

Haku watched as his opponent's invisibility jutsu seemed to waiver. He just barely got the impression of a slender form before a twinkle of light in front of the opponent distracted him. He watched as the twinkle grew until it was the size of a grapefruit and then dove out of his mirror as the light shot quickly at him and struck the mirror that he had just been standing in. He watched in shock as it slowly cracked and fell apart, opening a hole in his jutsu for his opponent to escape through. He prepared another row of senbon in a futile attempt to get his opponent to stop but paused as he heard a familiar voice scream out, "Fire Flash." He quickly covered his eyes and allowed the jutsu, which had the intensity of a flash grenade, to pass over him as he counted slowly to five. Opening his eyes, he turned to thank Naruto for his timely arrival and caught his first glimpse of his opponent.

(I was going to leave it here but that wouldn't be very nice. Besides, you guys deserve a little more for waiting so long)

Haku felt a shiver of betrayal as he watched Rin shake off Naruto's jutsu and stand up slowly again. She blinked several times and finally pulled out a Kunai with nimble hands. Naruto moved to meet her attack but was blocked by Haku moments late. "It's my fault that she escaped our perimeter guard," Haku stated quietly. "Allow me this battle." Naruto nodded slowly and moved to help Gaara protect Tazuna. Haku turned his full attention to Rin.

"It's not too late to give up," he urged quietly. "Just allow yourself to be captured. You're only a genin and not a dangerous nukenin so the leaf will show mercy on you."

"You know I can't do that Haku," she responded quietly.

"Then I have no choice but to fight you. Hyoton: Demon Ice Spear Roulette!" Haku jumped into the air as spears of ice burst out of the ground, one jetting out from right where he had been standing moments earlier. This jutsu was, just as its name suggested, a game of chance. The spears would move around at random, bursting from the ground so randomly that not even Haku could predict where they would show up next. He knew that he would have to make the kill soon but at least this way he would be not know when his hit came and so he could tell himself that there was nothing he could have done. It was a twisted form of logic but he would take what he would get.

Haku felt a spear coming up under his foot and thanked Anko-sensei for her training earlier as he leapt and barely avoided the hit. Rin gave a started cry but she too avoided the hit and the spears sank back into the ground. Haku held himself perfectly still and a group of spears burst out surrounding him. Rin screamed as a spear sliced her leg, reopening and lengthening the earlier injury before they disappeared again. Haku jumped to his left and miscalculated as a spear nicked him on the side. Rin landed safely on the ground.

The spears disappeared and Haku took that moment to form a one-handed seal and tweak the jutsu. This time he jumped before the spears arrived and watched as a fine layer of ice formed an inch or two off of the ground. Rin did not notice this new development and made to jump as a spear grazed by her. The ice around her foot gave no quarter and Rin fell, a telling snap sounding. Rin screamed and grabbed her obviously broken ankle with tear filled eyes.

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Zabuza smiled viciously as he landed a dirty kick to Anko's middle and watched her crash unceremoniously into a nearby tree. He was preparing a kunai to finish her off when a scream broke through his battle excited mind. Zabuza spun and quickly found the form of his injured subordinate with one of the leaf brats standing over her. "Rin," he screamed loudly and then sent a volley of water bullets at her. Rin ducked obediently and the bullets went flying over her towards the leaf brat. "Foxfire," was the answering call. Zabuza gave a frustrated scream as his water bullets hit a wall of fire and disappeared in a cloud of steam. The blonde brat stepped forward proudly.

"Hey mask freak," he called loudly. "You want to hurt my brother, you got to go through me first."

"Be careful Naruto," Haku urged as he secured Rin.

"Don't worry Haku; this guy won't stand a chance against me." Zabuza chuckled.

"Idiot boy, do you honestly think you can take me when your precious sensei couldn't." Naruto gave a fox like grin.

"What makes you think that you got her?" Zabuza spun around and watched as Anko's still form melted into a lump of mud. He turned back to find her standing next to her blonde pupil.

"Take him down Naruto, or the yesterday's training will be a piece of cake compared to what I'll do to you."

Naruto smirked and faced Zabuza with kunai drawn. "Let's go wild!" he declared excitedly.

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And that's all folks. The journey back to leaf should begin next chapter and the arrival will be the chapter after that. That means two chapters left before the chunin arc begins. Any suggestions on a title?

Will Zabuza still die? Will Haku and Rin still get together? Will Anko finally get her dango fix? All this and more on the next episode of Drago… uh, I mean Fated Meetings. Yeah…


	8. A Demon's Heart

Fated Meetings: A Demon's Heart

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"I've had enough of this, boy, so I'll end things quickly," Zabuza declared. Naruto only grinned and prepared himself for the mist nin. "Suiton: Taiju Teppoudama!" Dozens of water bullets flew at the blond but Naruto had already jumped aside to avoid them and countered with a barrage of Shuriken Kage Bunshin. Zabuza raised a shield of water wordlessly and knocked them away negligently.

"That all you got kid?" he taunted with a sneer. "I'm guessing that you like Bunshin so why don't you try some of mine on for size, Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!" In seconds he had surrounded his prey with five clones. Naruto grinned and pulled a kunai out.

"There's no way you can fool me with just that Zabuza," he said to the second figure on his right. Zabuza gave a low growl at having been identified and directed his Bunshin to attack. Naruto ducked and dodged, systematically destroying the Mizu Bunshin as he went. The real Zabuza held back and watched as his clones attacked. He was unmoved as they splashed out of existence one by one and threw a kunai as the last one moved to engage.

Naruto watched in confusion as the kunai went wide and Zabuza dissolved his own Bunshin. The kunai continued on its path and stuck the ground with a small thud that sounded nothing like metal on dirt. Naruto swore and ran as one of Anko's previously laid traps went off. 'So that's what she was doing while she had us skewering ourselves,' he thought with a curse. He moved back further as another round of explosive tags went off where he had been standing. Zabuza took that moment to make his move.

"Suirō no Jutsu!" he called out gleefully and Naruto took one last gasp of breath as he became surrounded on all sides by water. He laughed as the genin struggled to break the orb that was now holding him. "Maybe I can't fool you with my water clone, but I can fool you using your own 'sensei's' trap. Ah-ah-ah," he said mockingly as Anko moved to free her student. "Try to interfere and I'll crush your precious pupil before you even get close."

"So its watch you crush him or watch him drown?" Anko snarled in hatred.

"And you have only yourself to blame," sneered Zabuza. Anko growled and clutched her kunai as if she longed to trust it through his skull. Zabuza laughed outright. "Poor little leaf dog. Maybe I'll save you for last and you can watch as I kill your other students first. Don't worry though; I'll make sure to make it quick for them."

"Shut up," screamed Naruto from the prison. Zabuza turned back and watched in shock as a thick layer of red chakra pushed the water away from the kid. Red, slit eyes opened and stared at him in hate. "I'm not done yet. How dare you threaten my team? He formed a quick seal and practically screamed out his attack: "Demonic Hellfire!"

The chakra around him flared out spectacularly and turned into a raging inferno. Zabuza pulled back his hand before it became injured but could not clear the sphere before the total effects occurred. The resulting mix of jutsu caused a huge explosion and Zabuza found himself flying uncontrollably back.

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Inari ran through the village calling for everyone to come with him to the bridge. People that he knew, and who had worked alongside his father, shied away or refused to open their doors to him. Inari did not let that get him down as he continued searching for anyone to fight with him. Time passed and quickly but still, no one would come. Finally, he turned away to prepare himself. Little did he know that his heroic actions were rekindling the same feelings that had been inspired by his own father. Hope was returning.

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Zabuza picked himself up from the ground and watched in shock as Naruto struggled to his feet. How could it be that a simple genin had the power to break through a Suirō no Jutsu so strong that it had claimed the life of many a jonin? That strange red chakra was still swirling around the kid and was showing no sign of weakening any time soon. As the kid straightened, Zabuza caught sight of his face and gasped at the sight if it. His eyes had changed to red and were slit much like an animal's. The marks on his cheeks had thickened and almost seemed to make his face more feral. The entire look was finished off as Naruto grinned and flexed his, now free, hands. Sharp fangs and claws had appeared and were now.

"Damn you," Naruto growled dangerously, "this isn't over yet. You call yourself 'The Demon of the Mist'? I'll show you what a real demon can do."

Zabuza watched in shock as the blond crouched down on all fours and let out an angry growl. Then, fast as lightning, the blond closed the distance between them and sent him flying back with a simple punch to the face. Before he could get his bearings, Zabuza was forced to go on the defense as the blond attacked him with a ferocity that left him baffled. Another kick to his back had him eating dirt as Naruto stood over him with claws at the ready.

"Bastard," Naruto spat, "I'll kill you for threatening my team. Sasame-tou-san told me that it's okay to kill to protect your loved ones. I'd say that this qualifies."

Zabuza gasped in shock. "Wait," he shouted and Naruto pulled back suspiciously. Zabuza sat up slowly. "Did you mention a Sasame?"

"What of it," spat Naruto as he suppressed his youkai. His brothers shifted nervously at the mention of their father.

"Would that be Sasame of the Hidden Mist?" Naruto growled.

"That's Sasame of the Leaf, formerly of the Mist. How do you know him?"

"You're that guy," cried Haku suddenly. "Remember Naruto? When Sasame-tou-san was taking us to Suna that time he mentioned a friend that he left behind when he left the Mist."

"Zabuza," Naruto whispered. "I remember. That is the name that Sasame-tou-san whispered when he thought that I was asleep." His demonic features faded away slowly and Naruto backed away from his prey.

"Then he didn't forget," Zabuza whispered to himself. He turned to Anko and kneeled before her. "I give up," he announced firmly. "I will allow myself to be captured by the leaf and will reveal all information that I have so long as I am allowed to see Sasame before I my sentence is carried out." Rin's head lowered in acceptance and Anko motioned for her subordinates to keep up a careful guard.

"So the demon has a heart after all? Are you attempting to pull off assassination by cavity?" Zabuza smirked and allowed one of Naruto's kage bunshin to remove his weapons. Maybe the tree hugger wasn't so bad. He presented his arms and allowed Anko to place some restraints on him. She was turning to check Rin's restraints when Zabuza crashed his body into hers and shoved her to the ground. A loud round of gunfire stopped her from retaliating. She spun to find her prisoner on the ground next to her with a bullet wound in his shoulder.

"Kuso," spat a nearby voice. "I knew that I should have carried more gunpowder." Team Anko turned to find a short and sleazy man, in a bad suit, standing at the beginning of the bridge. Behind him was a group of low level thugs that held their weapons threateningly. "No matter," he continued. "I'll just have my men finish you off. I've already promised them that mist wench as payment; after I'm done with her, of course."

"That's Gatou," Tazuna spat in hatred. Gaara moved to cover his client, sand shifting restlessly. Gatou smirked over at him.

"Surprised to see me street rat? I couldn't miss this moment. Your pathetic death will secure my rule over this worthless land and once I have that I can spread out to the other countries until I rule them all. Maybe I'll start with fire country."

Anko smirked and pulled out her kunai. "Ah," she purred, "a threat to the leaf has been established. Okay fat boy, let's see who dies first." She shifted to attack when a body blocked her view. She growled angrily. "Out of my way mist worm or I'll reconsider killing you."

"I'm the one who got shot," he stated coldly, "so I will be the one to take his life. Besides, he threatened Rin and that cannot be allowed." He turned to Naruto. "Hey kid, let me borrow your kunai." Naruto nodded and tossed up a kunai. Zabuza, still restrained, grabbed the kunai in his mouth and charged forward. Gatou smiled and fell behind his thugs. Zabuza charged towards the sea of blades, focused solely on the pig behind him.

(AN: Worried you didn't I?)

Zabuza sliced through the first few thugs and prepared himself for the bit of the blades coming in around him. He would not allow them to stop him from reaching his goal. The nearest thugs reached him only to fall seconds later. Blurs of gold moved in next to him.

"Take out Gatou," Naruto called firmly. "I'll deal with these insects. Zabuza nodded and continued his charge, slicing his fair share of thugs along the way. Gatou shivered as he watched the nukenin charge murderously towards him. His eyes pierced into Gatou long before the kunai reached him. Gatou's hands wrapped around the kunai lodged in his throat in a vain attempt to save himself. He took the image of those piercing eyes with him to hell.

Zabuza was standing over Gatou's corpse uncaringly when a burst of cheering had him spinning around. He looked over to see the villagers standing just behind the team from Konoha. They were all holding crude weapons and where led by a small boy with a crossbow in his hands. Zabuza pushed down his surprise and rejoined his captors. Anko stepped forward and met him as he stepped off the bridge. In one quick movement she removed his restraints.

"Don't make me regret this," she growled, tossing him a bandage for his gunshot wound. "Work against us and I'll kill you." Zabuza nodded and turned to aid Rin. He paused and watched with a frown as Haku bent over her, healing her wounds carefully. He would have to keep an eye on this boy.

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Days later the entire village turned out to bid the Konoha team goodbye from the newly finished bridge. All wounds had been healed, although Haku had advised Zabuza to take it easy with his shoulder and had flat out forbidden Rin from walking on her injured ankle. The break had been repaired but the damage to her muscles and tendons had been a little more complicated. She would heal but it would take a week or two. Zabuza had been prepared to ignore Haku's advice and carry his subordinate to Konoha but Haku had firmly stated that he would do so.

"It's my fault that she is injured," he had argued, "so I will be the one to carry her." Zabuza had firmly rejected that idea and the two had proceeded to holding a large argument that had left Rin, Gaara, and Naruto sweat-dropping. Anko had finally broken up the two by siding with Haku and so Rin was now perched comfortably on his back, blushing softly. Zabuza kept a suspicious eye on them.

"So what shall we call the bridge?" Tsunami asked them as they finally turned to leave.

"I vote for 'The Great Tazuna Bridge.' Doesn't that sound great?" crowed Tazuna.

"Not at all," chorused the villagers, looking anywhere but at him as they pondered the name dubiously.

"How about Kaiza Bridge," asked Naruto? "That way he can continue to inspire hope for the village that he loved." The villagers cheered and Inari shook with the effort to keep from crying. "It's okay to cry when you're happy," Said Naruto comfortingly.

"Aniki," responded Inari with a wet smile, "I promise that I'm going to work hard to be a good person for this village. Just like father would have wanted."

"I'm holding you to that Inari," said Naruto with a grin. The nin gave their final goodbyes and began down the long road home.

The sun was beginning to set when Anko-sensei called a halt to the group. They were still a good ten miles from Konoha and with two injured members that meant a good four hours more of travel. Anko gave orders for the boys to set up camp and then left to find an animal for dinner. Gaara ran off to scout the area while Naruto double backed to a stream they had passed a few minutes before. Haku set Rin down gently on the grass and moved to go find some firewood but Zabuza cut him off before he could leave.

"Walk with me boy," he ordered sternly. Haku nodded in confusion and followed Zabuza away from the camp. Zabuza stopped once he was satisfied that Rin could see them but not hear them and turned to face Haku. "Just what is it that you feel for Rin?" he questioned with a deceptively calm voice. Haku blushed again and began stammering.

"I'm not sure what you mean Zabuza-san," he said finally. "I'm only trying to help a comrade." Zabuza frowned and began releasing a light killing intent.

"Don't take me for a fool boy. I was slitting throats before you were learning to walk. Let me just clue you in on a little advice. Do you see that girl?" he asked pointing to Rin. "She's like a daughter to me. She's my life. So if you have any thoughts about hugging her or kissing her you just remember these words: I've got no problem becoming a nukenin again." With that, he returned to camp and set about setting up a tent with one hand. Minutes later Haku snapped out of the shock that Zabuza had set him into and returned to camp a fair deal paler then when he had left.

"Hey," called Naruto as he returned with some fresh water. "Where is the firewood?"

"I couldn't find any," returned Haku shakily. Naruto blinked.

"You couldn't find any? In a forest?" Haku just nodded and took out his bed roll, crawling into it head first. Naruto sighed and grabbed a nearby log. Torching the log with his Fox Fire Jutsu, he set about getting enough kindling to keep it going for the night. Whatever was bugging Haku would pass but he didn't want to find out what would happen if Anko-sensei returned and found that there was no fire to cook the food. It was already bad enough that she was going into Dango withdrawal.

Rin, meanwhile, was watching Haku in confusion. What had her sensei said to make Haku act in this way? She shrugged it off. "Maybe he's just tired from carrying me," she thought to herself. "But then, that is the fourth boy to act that way after tou-san had a talk with them and the others never did come back. She resolved to ask him about it tomorrow. Afterall, he would be carrying her for another four hours back to Konoha. Rin blushed and remembered the way her heart had raced when he had offered to carry her and when he had picked her up. "Please let him stay," she prayed to whoever was listening.

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That's it for now people. One chapter to go before this arc is over and I still don't have a title for the next. Any suggestions? Sorry for the short AN but I'm on a time crunch. Thanks to Capito Calcior for the beta. Later!


	9. Schemes and Sweat Drops

Hello all! For those of you who read the manga and know what I'm talking about, I've finally decided to move past 'The Death' by pretending that it didn't happen. WHAT THE HE(double hockey sticks) WERE THEY THINKING! o0... I'm good. :(

Fated Meetings: Schemes and Sweat Drops

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Izumo blinked in shock as he took in the group asking for entrance to the village. He just couldn't decide whether he was more shocked that Anko's team had survived when left alone with her or that they had brought back two willingly captured nukenin with them: One of them well known at that. He shivered as Zabuza gave him a cold sneer and contemplated turning away to write the whole thing off as a hallucination. Then Anko cracked her knuckles and Izumo jumped to let them in. He hid behind his desk as the sadistic kunoichi passed by him confidently. He prayed for the safety of the village and the nearby dango stand.

Zabuza looked around in a detached interest as they made their way to the Hokage's Tower. He had never seen a ninja village such as this and the very idea of it left him somewhat confused. Civilians and Shinobi mingled with each other freely in the street. Civilians held their heads up high and vendors met shinobi with a warm smile as they sold their wares. It seemed that they did not know that they should be afraid of their deadly protectors. The rumors of the leaf did not even begin to measure up to what he was seeing. He began to understand exactly why Sasame had chosen this village to immigrate to.

Rin was just as startled as Zabuza was by this new village. Kirigakure had always been a cold and unfriendly place. The village children had always been afraid to play with her because she was an academy student while the academy students refused to play with her because she was weak. It had been a lonely existence as the only kunoichi of her class not in the seduction corp. Rin had learned to depend solely on Zabuza-sama to brighten her day. A group of children ran by, the leaders declaring that today's game would be Ninja, with more joining as they left their civilian guardians' sides. She smiled and listened eagerly as Haku and his brothers pointed out some of the people and places they passed. Her arms tightened unconsciously around Haku's neck as they began making plans that included her for the future. She prayed that the Hokage was merciful and that she could stay here with her friends. She held little hope that he would pardon Zabuza-sama but she ignored that pain for now. She would not show her master weakness.

By the time they reached the Hokage's Tower the group had attracted more than the normal amount of stares. Even the civilians had realized the significance of the two mist nins that walked with the genin team and had begun to draw away nervously. Anko had noticed the team of ANBU shadowing them and the Hawk flying overhead. The council would already be gathered and waiting for them. She swore inwardly at the thought of the inquisition that was coming but in the end she was sure that she could pull off the plan that she had come up with. Anko was just getting ready to tip her head back and laugh maniacally about her plan when they arrived. The chunins on guard duty motioned the team straight into the village council chambers and closed the doors behind them.

The council room was one that each of the leaf nins were well acquainted with. Naruto, Gaara, and Haku had all been brought many times to these rooms because of their pranks but the council had soon learned that it was no use. Anko preferred not to think about the times that she had been in this room. The room was set up much like an academy's lecture hall. Seats were raised into neat little rows on three sides of the room, all of them looking down on the center stage. The final wall held the main doors with the Konoha leaf symbol engraved above them. Each of the seats along the side walls were occupied by higher ranking shinobi. The seats in the center wall were filled with the heads of all of the important shinobi families, the Hokage, and the Hokage's two old team mates who made up his inner council.

A small bell sounded and various mutterings around the room silenced quickly. A chair was brought forward and Haku gently set Rin into it before standing to face the Hokage with the rest of his team. Over the next three hours the team was debriefed on their mission and the two mist nins were interrogated. At the end Hokage-sama stood to deliver his final judgments but Anko stood forward and called for attention.

"If I may Hokage-sama, I would like to place a motion to the council for immediate judgment." Sandaime sat back intrigued and motioned for her to continue. "As we all know, Rin is a D-ranked nukenin and only so because she was loyal to her guardian and sensei. I know that there are not many here who will fight against open immigration for her but I look to the matter of her sensei."

"Zabuza is an A-class nukenin who had earned that title for his attempted insurrection and for his skill as a jonin. His name is among the most feared in the assassination rings."

"We know this already. Get to the…," The poor nameless shinobi ducked down to avoid the kunai flying dangerously close to his head. Strands of hair floated up and were blown away by the force of the kunai's flight as they were cut away. The others sighed as they watched him scramble back into his seat. 'Another Anko virgin bites the dust,' they thought to themselves.

Anko grinned and turned back to the assembly. "Now, getting back to before I was so rudely interrupted. Zabuza has already testified that his treachery was caused by the betrayal of his village and their designs to turn him into the perfect killing machine. He has never harmed Konoha or its interests. He has, in fact, turned himself over to us willingly and fought alongside one of our own, willingly taking the blow that was meant to kill one of Konoha's best and most beautiful kunoichi." The kunoichi in the audience rolled their eyes while the rest just stared blankly. Anko pouted and plowed on.

"Furthermore, we have heard that there are real ties that could create a loyalty to our village stemming from a friendship to one of our current, and already proven loyal, citizens. I propose that we offer Zabuza a temporary asylum and place him under the care of civilian Sasame and myself. After a probationary period, in which Zabuza will work within the village to see if he is able to integrate, he will be given full amnesty and a position within our shinobi ranks. The mist is strategically weak right now and will not put up much of a fight. We, on the other hand, will gain a valuable jonin and promising genin. Who among this council will second my genius motion?"

The shinobi in the room shifted nervously before a seat was pushed back and one of them stood. "I second this motion," said Hatake Kakashi almost detachedly. "Konoha is clearly indebted to them for the lives of one of our most promising genin teams and he seems to pose no immediate threat to us. I would simply add to this motion a temporary ANBU surveillance. At least until their loyalties are proven."

Gai shot up next to him with an energized grin. "Ho, my most respected eternal rival is most cool in his care for these new comrades in arms. I too will second this motion for I cannot allow my rival to display more youth than me." He turned to smile at Kakashi.

"Did you say something?" asked Kakashi distractedly. Gai fell back at his rival's hip attitude but was cut off from retaliating by the Hokage before he could rant again. A vote was called for and the motion passed by a large margin. Most could see the advantages to such a plan while the rest were simply scared of what Anko would do if they voted against her motion. The Hokage called for attention and stood.

"I approve this motion and welcome both Zabuza-san and Rin-san to our village. On a smaller note I am most surprised and pleased by the care that you have shown for those who fought with you Anko. I hope that this gentle side is a side that we will see more of in the village."

'Yeah, that doesn't sound like her at all,' thought everyone else. Anko scoffed.

"Gentle nothing, as my temporary charges I can control their mission specifications. Now I can shove all of my regular work on them and kick back all I want." She rolled back her head and let out a loud and maniacal laugh. The council and Hokage sweat dropped as they watched her.

'So that was her motivation,' they thought unanimously.

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Zabuza walked down a quiet side road as he examined the mist hitai-ate in his hands. A new Konoha hitai-ate rested on his head, given to him by Hokage-sama just ten minutes ago. He had been 'The Demon of the Mist' for more than half of his life. Now that he had been allowed this new start he felt more then a little lost. He paused in the road as he contemplated his position. What would he be to this new village of his? Zabuza shook his head and continued forward. He reminded himself that he didn't really care about this village. The only thing that he cared about could be found in the building that he was now approaching. He tucked the old hitai-ate away and leapt up to the second story window.

The man was sitting with his back to the window, carefully examining a stack of sketches. Zabuza froze as he took in Sasame's profile for the first time in years. All this time and he still looked more like a dancer than a shinobi. He was trying to figure out how to get his attention when Sasame suddenly crumpled one of the pages into a messy ball and threw it over his shoulder, hitting Zabuza directly in the forehead.

"Sorry," he declared gently, "no personal appointments today. Please come by to schedule one tomorrow."

"Sasame," Zabuza called gently. Sasame whirled and stared at him as if he were seeing a ghost. Zabuza's heart raced as he approached the frozen man. He gazed down as he stopped just inches from him. "Finally," he breathed softly. "I've finally found you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto crept away from his brothers as they stopped to show Rin the academy that they had graduated from. Gaara half turned and gave him a questioning look but Naruto simply shook his head to show that he did not want to be followed and continued on alone. At this time of day, if his query was still in the village, then he would be able to find her at training ground six. He made his way to the outskirts of town and into the section of forest that consisted of the grounds. Barks in the background told him that he had the right place and he took to the trees until he spotted his target.

Hinata was carefully examining some herb sprigs at the base of a tree while Shino examined a nearby ant colony. The barks were now growing fainter, which told Naruto that Kiba was probably off practicing with Akamaru. He dropped to the ground, giving Hinata a start as he settled next to her. Shino did not even say a word and soundlessly withdrew, leaving his team mate to talk in private. Naruto smiled gratefully at his retreating back, knowing the Shino would somehow see it.

Hinata began to tap her fingers together nervously. She had been almost sick with worry about how Naruto would react to the kiss that she had given him before he left. He was probably here now to set her straight and tell her that he did not feel that way about her. Her eyes stared sadly at the ground and she prepared herself to here the words that would no doubt break her heart. Instead she felt a feather light kiss on her forehead.

Naruto grinned as he watched Hinata's eyes go wide and her face begin flush. "I owed you one," he declared cheerfully before growing more serious. "Hey Hinata, I was thinking about you a lot over this last mission of mine and I realized…you really are a weird girl." Hinata gasped in shock. "But you know," he continued with a grin. "I really like that about you. You're pretty but you don't flaunt it like Ino. You're smart but you don't lord it like Sakura. And you're strong but you don't act like Sasuke-teme."

"I'm not strong Naruto-kun," she protested in shock.

"But you are," he said with a goofy grin. "What I'm trying to say, Hinata, is that I like you and I'd like to know you better. Would you be my girlfriend?"

Hinata was blushing more furiously now then ever before but she could not remember being happier. She nodded shyly and Naruto light up like a Christmas tree. "Great," he declared. "You're done for the day right? Let's go get some ramen." He grabbed her hand and began leading her back to the village. Hinata glanced at their joined hands and smiled.

The new couple reached Ichiraku's Ramen stand and found that Gaara, Haku, and Rin were already there and seated with their own meals. Naruto made introductions for Rin and Hinata before sitting down to order. He only smiled at the little sister jokes that his brothers were now piling on Hinata. She blushed profusely until she finally asked Haku when his wedding to Rin would be. Haku and Rin flushed while Naruto and Gaara laughed. She would fit in just fine. He was just digging into his beef ramen when a voice interrupted him from behind.

"So you're back are you dobe?" Naruto rolled his eyes and turned to face Sasuke-teme.

"If I'm a dobe then what does that make you teme? Or have you forgotten that we graduated above you. By the way, how are those D class missions going? I bet the Fire Daimyo's wife thinks you all are animal retrievers and not shinobi by now." Sasuke growled and got ready to release a katon jutsu at his blonde rival when Sakura appeared out of nowhere and latched onto his arm.

"Sasuke-kun, why did you leave me? Hey, why don't we do on a date while we are here?" Sasuke shook her off and was turning to leave when he caught site of Rin. He stared for a moment before doing something no one had ever seen him do. He walked over to Rin and leaned over her in what he must have thought was a debonair way.

"Hey," he said huskily. "I've never seen you in the village before. Why don't we go for some Sashimi so we can get to know one another?" Team Anko's jaws dropped in unison while Sakura starred on in horror. Rin could only stare in disgust.

"Beat it creep," she ordered dangerously. Sasuke frowned.

"Don't be like that," he said stubbornly. "I promise I'll show you a good time." Rin grimaced and then forced a smile. Standing up on her good leg she leaned into Sasuke as if to kiss him. Sasuke puckered up and then fell over as Rin's knee met his family jewels. Sakura cried out in horror and scooped him up running in the direction of the hospital. The genin and ramen booth owners left behind only stared for a moment and then broke out into uncontrollable laughter. Rin sat down and dug back into her ramen, graciously accepting the praise from those around her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The End

Please tune in for the third and final installment (Title Pending). Just like last time, I'll put a notice up on this story so you guys know when I post it.

Okay, I lie. There is actually one last chapter being released with this story. It will be up tomorrow but be warned, it's a completely yaoi chapter centering on Sasame and Zabuza. It's not at all crucial to the plot so you don't have to read if you are not comfortable with it. I just couldn't leave them hanging like that.

Enjoy and Review


	10. Fluff and Stuff

**WARNING: CHAPTER RATED M. THIS CHAPTER IS COMPLETLEY YAOI AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR MINORS. DON'T BOTHER FLAMMING BECAUSE I WON'T GIVE A CARE. IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH MALE/MALE PAIRINGS THEN I SUGGEST THAT YOU HOLD TIGHT FOR THE FINAL INSTALLMENT. ALL OTHERS ENJOY. **

Note: I've never written yaoi before and I've only hesitantly done straight scenes. Let's just say that my knowledge only goes as far as the general male anatomy. Sorry if I botch the job. Oh, and sorry for any corniness. :)

Fated Meetings: Fluff and …Stuff

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Sasame and Zabuza stood starring at each other transfixed. It seemed that the entire world had stilled to see just how this reunion would play out. Sasame took in all of the changes that eight long years had caused, noting the small starburst scar on his muscled shoulder that spoke of a recently healed bullet wound and the faint worry lines around his eyes. He had abandoned his bandaged mask and another scar could just barely be seen under the cleft of his chin.

The sketches that Sasame had been examining slipped from his grasp and scattered across the floor, knocking Sasame back to reality in an instant. He gasped and moved to usher Zabuza back out the window. "Quick," he urged in panic, "get out of here before the ANBU find you."

"They already know I'm here," Zabuza informed him. Sasame stopped in confusion and Zabuza gestured to his hitai-ate. "I'm with the leaf now on a probationary period. I turned myself in when I heard that you were here and the Hokage and his council offered me asylum." Sasame frowned.

"Baka, why the hell would you turn yourself in when you know the standard punishment for a nukenin is death?"

"Why the hell do you think?" roared Zabuza angrily. "You disappear without so much as a note to me, the Mizukage tells me you're dead, and I commit treason trying to honor your memory only to find out that you're still alive and just never bothered to think that I might care."

"That's not true, I knew that you cared. I just wanted to spare you the pain of being forced to ignore my existence. I thought that you would move on and forget about me after a while."

"Just as you did?" he retorted bitterly.

"I never forgot about you," Sasame whispered brokenly. "I tried so hard to. When I heard what the Mizukage had done, I wanted to run back and tell you I was okay, laws be damned. But then I heard that you had picked up a student and I had Haku by then. I thought that it would be enough. That I would be able to let you go without regrets. But I do regret. I could never let you go from my heart."

"Why…?"

"Because I love you!"

Sasame froze, eyes widened in shock. He had never intended to admit that but even as the air rang with his passionate cry he could not help but feel a sense of relief that it had been said. He waited silently, fully expecting Zabuza to turn away in disgust. Zabuza closed the distance between them and Sasame brace himself for whatever he might do. He could not suppress the gasp of surprise as Zabuza lowered his head and kissed him softly on the lips. Sasame moaned and melted against him, deepening the kiss as he wrapped his arms around him. Zabuza allowed him a long and thorough kiss before pulling away. Sasame blinked in confusion.

"Do you have somewhere more private?" Zabuza asked quietly, stressing the private as he gestured subtly to the ANBU that was watching them from a nearby roof. Sasame nodded and lead him to a nearby door, which led to the spare bedroom he used to crash in when he pulled late nighters. It had fallen into disuse once Sasame had gotten successful enough to expand the shop and purchase a house for his family but it was now back in service for when his boys where on missions and the house felt too big for him alone. Zabuza did not even give it a glance. By the time Sasame had pulled the drapes and turned back to him he was on him again, kissing him senseless. Sasame groaned and slid his hands tantalizingly along Zabuza's bare arms.

Zabuza groaned and made quick work of unclothing them both, breaking contact as little as possible. Once they were both nude he guided the smaller man to the bed and pushed him so that they both tumbled on. He chuckled as he pinned the smaller man beneath him. "Satin sheets anata?" Sasame blushed, melting inside when Zabuza called him 'beloved'.

One of the perks of being a clothier," he replied huskily.

"Then it would be a shame to let them go to waist," Said Zabuza slyly. He leaned down and began a slow and erotic exploration of his lover, making sure to kiss every area he passed. He kept one hand stroking a spot on Sasame's wrist that he knew had always been particularly sensitive while the other moved down and brushed lightly against his right thigh. Sasame gasped as he traced an imaginary pattern there and then moved up the hold his manhood, playing with him before settling into a rhythmic pump.

Sasame was floating in a haze by the time that his lover's exploring mouth met up with his hand. His hands were clutching his sheets as though they were his only anchor to reality. Zabuza ceased pumping for a moment and blew a stream of warm air onto his straining member. Sasame moaned loudly and began begging him to continue. Zabuza gave a satisfied chuckle and took him in slowly, using all of his training as a ninja to deep thought him without gagging. With his hand already slicked with pre-cum, he began to trace a tender path around his lover's opening.

"Zabuza," cried Sasame in shock. He buried his hands into Zabuza's hair to pull him away but found that his traitorous hand was only moved to encourage Zabuza to take him faster. He was long past the point of no return and could only moan in pleasure as Zabuza began to stretch him out. He moved in time with those delicious fingers as they worked themselves in an out of him, preparing him for the best to come.

Once he was sure that Sasame was ready, Zabuza pulled away from his lover and settled himself between his lover's legs. Sasame gazed at him with glazed and trusting eyes. His pants came strained as he fought to keep sane in the torrent of ecstasy. "Please," he whispered brokenly and Zabuza could wait no more. He entered slowly at first, determined to take him with as little pain as possible. Sasame's cries of pleasure turned to lusty screams and he began to encourage Zabuza to a faster pace. Zabuza was determined to take his time and thoroughly ravish his lover but his need and the years of loneliness where quickly catching up with him. Time melted away as they danced together to a primal beat and cries mingled together in heated symphony. They teased and whispered throaty promises to each other before climbing a final peak and crying out for each other as they tumbled blissfully over it.

Zabuza strained against Sasame on final time before collapsing onto the bed next to him and pulling him into his arms. Sasame sighed and pressed a light kiss to Zabuza's peck before drifting off into a contented sleep. Zabuza chuckled and nuzzled his precious person happily. "Sleep well anata, because I haven't even begun to fulfill all of my plans for you. I hope your stamina is as good as I remember it being." Sasame cuddled into him with a smile and Zabuza drifted off to join his lover in sleep.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

On the roof opposite of Sasame's House of Fashion the ANBU in charge of Zabuza's surveillance lifted her mask and rubbed away the faint nose bleed that was threatening to stain her white, hawk mask. "I love being a Hyuuga," she murmured absently. Replacing the mask, she took one last look at the sleeping couple and went to make her report to the Hokage. There would be a lot of sad people when the news that Sasame was no longer on the market came down and she couldn't wait to get front row seats for the protective lover act that Zabuza would put on. She made a side note to get the children out of the way for a possible round two and sped up so as not to chance missing it.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Okay all, this really is it. Sorry if the scene was too cheesy but like I said: I'm not running off any experience here. Join me for the last segment of my story (Title Pending). I'll let you know here when I post it.


	11. Come and Go

Hello all, I'm back from my long break. My Tsubasa costume is finally done and with only a few days to spare. I'm so excited about going to Katsucon but I hope that my costume is warm enough for the weather that they've been having there. I hope to see some of you there. Of course I won't know that I've seen you but no matter; I can pretend. Okay, the Valentines Day sugar rush is wearing off so I'd better wrap this up. The first chapter of "The Rookie Twelve" has been posted so enjoy and please review. Here is a sneak peek:

"You guys must be green," said Temari snidely. "Don't you know anything?" Gaara sighed and stepped away from his tree where he had been watching the events unemotionally.

"I would think more carefully before you take on a team of the leaf in this exam. After all, the team you may run across could be mine. I would hate to have to make you my prey sister."

Okay, see you all in "The Rookie Twelve."


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